Cruel beauty 2: Sequel to cruel beauty
by Darkironprincess17
Summary: Sebastian and Lily are a match made in heaven; or hell would be a better phrasing, now that Lily's become a demon. However, a certain human and their demon butler threaten to take away the soul Sebastian wants to eat, and the love of his life! please r&r
1. The Earl Trancy

Chapter 1: The Earl Trancy

The early sun shone down on the Trancy estate.

"Master, this morning's tea is her majesty's blend from Ridgeway's." Claude said, pouring tea into a blue, gold and white china service. The blond haired boy sat up and stretched, his light blue eyes straining to see through the bright light of the room. Claude carefully laid out Alois' outfit on the bed, and opened the box that contained the Trancy ring. He carefully buttoned up Alois' shirt. Alois smirked and unbuttoned the two that Claude just did up.

"Did I irritate you?" Alois asked.

"No" Claude pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. "If you'll excuse me." He said after he had pulled out the rest of his outfit. Claude bowed and walked out of the room. As soon as he was out of earshot, Alois began laughing, falling on the purple covers to muffle his voice.

"Hannah… don't you think fried eggs are rather pitiful?" He asked his maid as she served him breakfast. "Shells broken, nakedly exposed for all to see…" He poked at the yolk with a knife. "They'll never grow into eyes or organs or wings… All their possibilities wiped out by me." He said. He intentionally spilled his glass of red juice.

"Hannah, pick it up." She bent down and he screamed. He then smiled as she looked up at him. He dug his fingers into her eye. "Claude's told you, hasn't he? Never look your master straight in the face. You'll have to forgive me." He said as blood ran down Hannah's face. "If I don't punish you, Claude will be outraged." He let go of her and Hannah fell on her knees, blood staining the floor. Claude opened this door. Alois smiled happily to see his favourite servant.

"Clean this up at once" Claude ordered the three servants while he himself cleaned the blood of Alois' fingers.

"Arnold Trancy will be dining with us today." Claude said as he faced Alois in his study.

"He just wants money…" Alois said, his face down on the desk.

"This time a priest will be joining him. It seems he has doubts about your time 'held hostage by the fairies'" Claude said. Alois' eyes went wide open and he jumped up, nearly overturning his chair.

"What shall I do, Claude?" He asked, panicking. "I changed all that old loon's decorating! The nasty curtains, the rugs with the odd patterns, the knick knacks…!"

"Not to worry… I'll take care of everything at once." Claude said.

"Really?"

"Yes, your highness."

Claude instantly got to work after a bit of ledge tap dancing, and within seconds, he had redecorated everything from the floors to the walls and the strange paintings hanging on them. Everything fell neatly into place. Claude's glasses fell back on his face with perfect precision.

"I transform day into night, sugar into salt, creatures into corpses and navy into golden…"

"That's what makes a Trancy butler.' That's your line, right?" Alois asked, playing with a rose on the table. "That's my Claude!" He said happily, fingering the bright pink rose in his hands. "As long as I have you, I don't need those useless clods. But… this is where I prefer to display my roses." He stuck the stem into Claude's mouth and danced around the room, laughing, pretending to dance. His expression then narrowed, and the lights cast scary shadows on his cheeks. "Eat shit."

The carriage pulled up to the manor.

"So there's no proof that he's Earl Trancy's legitimate son?" The priest asked.

"No. I know your eyes can discern the truth, father, and you Lord Druitt, had such deep ties to the previous Earl. I'd like you to expose that child for what he really is." Alois burst the door open.

"Uncle Arnold!" He cried, his face an angelic mask, smiling and laughing, the perfect picture of innocence.

"Oh, Alois!" Arnold Trancy said as Alois walked up to him, smiling.

"Oh, what a grievous mistake God has made!" Lord Druitt said. "How could such unsullied beauty dwell in the flesh of a young boy? Yet! I shall forgive thee lord! Amen!"

Claude walked carefully up and bowed as far as his glasses would let him without falling off his face. Unknown to them, Lily sat in the nearby tree, watching them. She knew Sebastian had made her promise to stay away from the manor. She watched curiously from the shelter of the tree. She was far enough away that the other demon couldn't sense her presence.

She stared at him. Tall…Jet black hair… narrow amber eyes… glasses… she had no idea why any demon would wear glasses. They had perfect vision. It wasn't like he needed glasses. For some reason, he reminded her of someone. So this was the jealous demon Sebastian had spoken of. She watched as the demon named Claude led them all into the manor. She waited until everyone was inside and then flitted away, her wings of fire carrying her soundlessly through the forest.

"Oh, it's just as it was when Uncle Trancy was still alive!" Druitt said. "The glittering gold of the mansion! The legend of Cipangu springs to life in its sublime gleam!"

"Yes, I haven't changed even the smallest thing from my father's time. I… don't want to lose my father's warmth or essence…" Alois said, and a false tear spilled down his cheek.

"That shows your love for him." The priest said.

"I lived a sickeningly long time in a certain village." Alois began as Claude served everyone soup. "I don't even know what the place was called… or how long I was there. I was worked like a slave, not even allowed to go outside."

"Goodness"

"There was just one boy in the same situation… I thought of him as a younger brother. But that day...that night… Inside the rippling flames, the broken off screams, just quietly lying there… darkness…" The viscount held a handkerchief to his teary eyes.

"What on earth happened to that village?" The priest asked.

"I don't know either. But… my father came to take me home! I thought 'I'm not alone! I finally have love!' But then he…"

"You poor child." The priest said.

"Oh lord, I cannot forgive you after all!" The viscount said.

"Despair is a sin" The priest said, shaking off the Viscount's grip. "You are one of God's beloved children. I'll help in any way I can."

"Thank you" Alois stood up. "But I'll be all right. For one thing, I have Uncle Arnold!" Alois said, running to hug his uncle.

"Uh… yes quite so"

"I say, Uncle Arnold" Alois whispered. "Don't lean too close to me. Your breath stinks." Arnold's face went pink.

At nightfall, the horses left. Only Arnold Trancy remained outside.

"That damn brat" He said, staring at the mansion, and turned to get inside.

"Wait, Uncle Arnold!" Arnold turned around to see Alois and Claude standing on the balcony. "You only want money, right?" He opened a trunk full of money. "Take these! These mouldy old notes aren't fit to feed a goat with!" Claude passed him a tray. "Here, deeds to land! I'll give you horses too!"

The papers fluttered around and Arnold scrambled to pick them up.

"You there!" He dragged the cab driver down. "Help me!" They ran around picking up the money.

"Look at him blustering around, Claude. It's like he's dancing! What a pitiful sight!" He kept laughing, and then stopped. "Claude"

"Yes?"

"You laugh too."

There was silence. A crack of thunder sounded in the distance. It was the storm Sebastian and Lily had been waiting for. Sebastian walked out into the rain and stood there for a few minutes, giving him the air of one who has walked for a very long time. His long wide brimmed hat kept the rain out of his eyes. He flexed his newly remade left hand. Lily. His little red flower. He had this arm to think of her. After he got that ring, he would get out as soon as possible. He walked forwards with Ciel's body in the suitcase and rang the doorbell.


	2. stranger at the door

Chapter 2: Stranger at the door

Claude turned around when he heard the thudding on the door. He walked towards the door and opened it to see Sebastian, completely unrecognizable. The coat he wore was one that Lily made specifically to hide demon energy. She couldn't do everything, obviously, so it didn't completely hide his aura, but it would be enough to buy him the time he needed.

"A storm has come." Sebastian said.

"What brings you here at this time of night?" Claude asked.

"I've been caught outside in the storm… Might I trouble you for a night's lodgings?" Alois appeared behind Claude.

"Wow! He's just so filthy! He's like a drowned rat!" Alois said, looking at Sebastian. _Not one of the nicest compliments, I'll say…_ He thought. "But… you smell nice. What's your name?" He asked. "We'll let him stay with us, got that, Claude?"

Claude nodded. They served Sebastian dinner.

"Try this too! Claude's cooking is disgustingly good!" Alois said, bringing a plate of buns up to Sebastian's nose.

"Yes, it's quite magnificent… however… There's a tiny speck of sauce on the rim of the plate." He said, trying to sound like a picky noble. He criticized Claude's skill as a butler. "I don't care the mere trifling sense it would take to dab it with a cloth."

"My apologies. I'll clear this up right away" Claude said. "I didn't think a man who wouldn't remove his coat at dinner would have such delicate sensibilities. You flatter me." He said as he walked away.

Sebastian sat at the corner of the bed in the room, once again, afraid to take his coat off. A knock on the door made him look up.

"Excuse me." It was Hannah. She set down a new jug of water and picked up the old one.

"Whatever happened to your eye?" Sebastian asked.

"Nothing" Hannah said.

"I'm impressed you can still perform your duties."

"Hannah!" Alois stood inside the doorway. "What are you doing here, Hannah?"

"I came to change the water, my lord" She said, trembling as Alois walked closer.

"Hmm… are you sure you weren't trying to arouse this traveler's interest by wearing that silly bandage and acting pathetic?" He asked. He slapped her, and the jug fell out of her hands and broke into pieces on the floor. "Get out of here, you tart!" He said, pushing her down to the floor and shoving and kicking her. She got up, bowed and left as fast as she could without making it look like she was running away.

"Will that woman be all right?"

"I don't know… She's so creepy. I never know what she's thinking." Alois said. He beat her and then says things about her like that? He sure was glad he had Ciel for a master and not this kid. It served Claude right for getting him. However, Alois probably treated Claude pretty well. "Actually… I don't know what anyone is thinking." Alois turned around.

"Say, what's in that trunk of yours? Sweets? Clothes?"

_Tell him you'll show him if he gives you what you need._ Lily's voice whispered into his ear once he began to panic. He thanked her as Alois put his hands on the trunk. "I'm jealous. It must be fun to travel places. I want to try travelling too… This mansion is so dull…"

"Dull?" Sebastian smiled. "But I've been told there's something interesting underneath this mansion."

"Really?" The child's blue eyes lit up with excitement.

"If you show it to me, I'll show you what's in the trunk." Alois began giggling, stroking the trunk. Sebastian smirked. Alois opened the door. In his high heeled boots, he was almost as tall as Lily… which was pretty short. He walked down the stairs, the candle light illuminating the cobwebs in the corners.

"This way" Sebastian had to bend his knees to be able to fit into the entranceway. They walked into the storage room of the Trancy manor. He stopped to see a tea bin. "That must be it." New moon drop.

_Yes, that's it, Sebastian. Get it as fast as you can and get the hell out of there! This mansion is making me nervous even though I'm not inside it._ Lily said. Alois took the tea bin from the shelf.

"It's only tea" Alois said.

"New moon drop… people say that tea leaves plucked on the night of the full moon have a clear sweet smell… but these are the opposite, tea leaves plucked on the new moon. They give off an indistinct scent that brings to mind a bottomless darkness. It's otherwise known as the soul's temperature." Sebastian reached for the box, but Alois held it away from him.

"Not yet"

"Yet?"

"It's all right, I promise to show it to you, but first…"

Pain exploded through Sebastian's head. _SEBASTIAN, RUN!_

"First give me that trunk" Claude said, a fistful of gold cutlery in his hands. He threw it at Sebastian. They knocked his coat and his hat off his head, revealing who he really was.

"Sebastian Michaelis!" Claude said. He grabbed two fistfuls of knives and sent them flying. Sebastian let them sink into his coat, threw the coat off, grabbed the tea box and the trunk and ran as fast as he could past Claude.

"He's getting away!" Alois cried. Sebastian ran up the stairs, with Claude following him.

"Don't kill him! You mustn't kill him!" Alois yelled. "Catch him, Claude!" Claude took off his glasses and threw them to the side. Sebastian shoved the trunk against the wall and moved in front of it, the three gold knives sinking into his chest.

"You value that trunk above your own life?" Claude asked as he walked closer. "Well, then" He drew two plates and threw them. They shattered against the wall as Sebastian lifted the suitcase. Suddenly, it slid open and he struggled to keep it balanced. Inside was Ciel's lifeless body.

"Ciel Phantomhive!" Alois exclaimed as he ran closer. "I finally have you, Ciel! I just need that woman too…"

At the reference to Lily, Sebastian sprang to his feet and shut the trunk again.

"I'm afraid not." He dug two knives out of his chest and threw them at Alois. Claude caught them before they could do him any harm. "It would defile my young master and my lady to have someone so vulgar and foul touch them." He meant Claude and Alois both.

"What?"

Sebastian sprang onto the food cart and it careened down the hallway.

"Letting your shoes touch something that carries food?" Claude asked. "That's no fit behavior for a butler!"

"Nonsense… I am merely… No it's not time for that yet." He kept going, the cart gathering speed. He jumped onto the banister, and balanced the cart on two wheels. Claude jumped on the banister and slid down it as well.

"Sebastian Michaelis" He said, his eyes narrowing. _I will make you suffer pain worse than death._ Unknown to Claude, Sebastian already had. Sebastian smiled and jumped from the cart onto the chandelier.

"I seem to recall that your way is 'day into night, sugar into salt and navy into golden'. In that case…" Two voices spoke at the same time now. "Let us turn gold into black." Lily said along with Sebastian, not really there in presence, but letting her voice echo through the mansion as she snapped her fingers outside and blew out all the candles at once. Alois screamed.

"It's dark… Claude… I'm scared"

"Light!" He said, and all the candles came back on again. _Curse that woman's power. How can she be with him when she's miles away? _Sebastian had already gotten away. He was jumping through the fog covered forest, a triumphant smile lighting his features.

Soft footsteps pattered through the trees until Lily ran next to him. It was time to bring their young master back to life.


	3. his lady, engaged

Chapter 3: His Lady, engaged

A few days later, Ciel and Lily sat in Ciel's study, playing chess.

"So how's business going, Ciel?" Lily asked quietly.

"It's quite bothersome. We're having an import from India again soon. I wish they would just leave." He said, flicking over her king. "Checkmate" Lily sighed.

"Beaten again… you really do have an amazing mind, young master"

"Speaking of that, Elizabeth is coming over today. Please don't let her see you call me young master. As you are still technically alive by human status, you are still nobility. You haven't cast aside your name and title yet, so please treat me like the equals we were before you were a demon."

"Very well." She said. "Shall we play another round?"

"Okay… I don't feel like doing paperwork anyway." Ciel looked at Lily's hand, holding her white queen. Recently, she had been covering her glowing blue demon mark with a special type of powder she had spent days working on. She had made dozens of jars of the stuff. It didn't flake, and it was completely opaque, giving the illusion that there was nothing there in the first place. Lily was as happy as a dog with two tails these days, smiling so much her cheeks hurt, and soon she would be even happier.

A quiet knock on the door made both of them look up.

"Excuse me, young master, but Lady Lily has an appointment with the carpenter on some of the changes needed to rebuild her house." Lily stood up.

"Let's finish up later, Ciel"

"Yes, let's"

After finishing the business with the carpenter, Sebastian and Lily went for lunch at the meadow. It was especially beautiful at this time of year, full of brightly colored flowers. He thought this meadow looked a bit like Lily herself. Bright, beautiful and elegant. They stood beside each other, hand in hand, watching the sparkling river rush by. He still marvelled at how Lily held onto her human self. She didn't lose her lovely personality or any qualities that she had when she was human.

"So tell me, where will we live in the demon world once we go back?" Lily asked.

"There aren't very many demons that have families, but those who do are just as happy as humans with families. Demon children are adorably cute, though almost no one ever sees a demon child anymore. Attractions are very rare things for demons, as they usually go about searching for souls, not caring for love. It's a shame, really. We demons have to sacrifice many things however to find happiness in the end. To be able to have an attraction, a demon must live through a lot of pain. It's how our kind is able to live by equivalent exchange. I've lived enough pain for the both of us, so we can be happy for all of our lives now.

"Demons live in hell, obviously, but there is one small part in all of hell that is more or less like the human world. There is where the royal and noble families live, and those demons that have attractions and families. I've only ever been there once when I had an audience with the demon queen, and it truly is amazing. It's like walking into a completely different realm. I promise you that when we go there, that part of hell is the only part you'll ever see. You don't need to see the human souls chained up and tortured."

"Hmm… so it's like a little heaven in the middle of hell…"

"You could say so. But nothing's heaven without you, Lily." He said, and reached in his pockets and drew out a little box. "This is just for the human part of it, of course, but this also has a meaning in the demon world too." He got down on one knee and opened the box. Inside it glistened a ring. It was simple and yet beautiful. It was made of white gold with a red lily carved into the metal, and a ruby was the center of the flower.

"Oh my goodness…" Lily said, staring at the ring with shining eyes, her gloved hand over her mouth.

"Lilyanne Blackwell Middleford, will you accept my hand in marriage?" He asked. Lily nodded and Sebastian slid the ring onto her finger. The lily suddenly glowed with a bright light, and then it died down. Lily thought if she looked closely, she could see the outlines of the red lily still glowing.

"This is amazing… how did you make this?"

"Demon gold. It's something traditional for demons to give their attractions." He said as he stood up. She hugged him, and he lifted her up and spun her around in a circle.

"Thank you… this is so much nicer than I could dare hope for." She said.

"Really… I was worried you wouldn't like it."

"You worry too much" she said, and they laughed. They sat for a little while on the meadow like the happy perfect couple they were. Sebastian stood up and helped her too her feet.

"We'd best not be late. Lady Elizabeth is coming to visit very soon." He said. On their way back, Lily tried to pick an apple from a tree but was too short to reach it. Sebastian had to pick it for her, but not before he watched her squirm a bit because of her lack of height.

"I guess there are some things I can't do" She said, laughing. She was glad to see Sebastian laughing too. He didn't usually laugh unless it was a cruel demonic laugh. This was true laughter, and she was happy that he was happy. It was like her mission to make him laugh at least once a day.

They entered through the doors of the manor. Elizabeth was already there.

"Pardon us for being late" Sebastian said, bowing. Elizabeth saw Lily before the latter saw her, and nearly cracked two of Lily's ribs as Elizabeth tackle hugged her.

"Ow, ow, ow, Lizzie, you're going to kill me!"

"Oh, sorry, I was just so glad to see you, Lily." Elizabeth said and smiled.

"I'm glad to see you too, Lizzie. How have you been?" Lily asked, looking down at the cousin she thought of as a little sister. Lily carefully adjusted Lizzie's headband, which had flopped sideways. Elizabeth caught sight of Lily's ring.

"Is that a ring, Lily?" Elizabeth shrieked in delight.

"Um… yes…" she said, hanging onto Sebastian's arm the way she always did.

"You're getting married?" Elizabeth exclaimed. Lily nodded yes. "That's amazing!" Elizabeth took Lily's hand in both of her own. Despite the fact that one was an adult and one was a child, their hands were almost the same size, Lily's just a little bigger than hers. Elizabeth's eyes shone with tears of happiness. "You're finally going to get married! Remember the thimble at Ciel's birthday party?" Lily nodded. She had actually forgotten about the thimble. "I'm so happy for you. Congratulations, you two! When is the wedding going to be?"

"I will serve the young master for about another year, so at around the end of next year." Sebastian said. Lily nodded in agreement, and looked down at Elizabeth.

"So what's the schedule for today?" She asked, as she knew Lizzie always had something planned whenever she came over.

"How about having an engagement party? You are a lady, after all!" She said.

"Not right now. Maybe in a few weeks?" Lily asked. "We have much to do."

"Lizzie, we have the floodgate opening ceremony in a few hours." Ciel reminded.

"Okay, then we'll have a picnic after!" Elizabeth said happily.

"Shall I start making preparations, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

"Might as well…" Ciel sighed, always knowing Elizabeth got her way.


	4. floodgate opening

Chapter 4: floodgate opening

Ciel and Sebastian stood side by side on the new floodgate adorned by ribbons. Lily and the three servants stood a little off to the side. Elizabeth had left to get a few things taken care of at home. Her brother Edward had returned a few days ago from some sort of school.

"This area has been plagued by floods for a long time. I am delighted of a new floodgate addition to the Phantomhive lands thanks to your support. I intend to fully commit myself to the difficult task of flood control, as my family before me has for many generations." The women were gazing admirably at Ciel, whispering about if their daughters had a chance to marry Ciel. Lily noticed and laughed. If one of their daughters did manage to steal Ciel from Lizzie, they would be the most unfortunate girls in all England. Ciel bowed and everyone clapped.

A little while later, Ciel was surrounded by people, Lily and Sebastian talking to one another a little off to the side, never taking their eyes off their precious young master. Lily's ring subtly accented her white pearl earrings, and the thick silvery dress she wore.

"I say, the speech of the earl's was shameless, wasn't it?" One of the men standing off to one side asked. Lily heard, as her ears were now sharper than any animal's.

"And I hear the company he runs is making more money than they know what to do with." One of the men said. From what I hear…" He whispered into the woman's ear.

"Oh my, that much? That's indecent!"

"Apparently the earl's butler is getting married, too."

"Oh, to whom?"

"That woman in the white standing beside him. She's Lady Elizabeth's older cousin, so the four of them will soon be family." Lily's head snapped up. She tapped Sebastian's shoulder. Both of them walked up to Ciel, and Lily whispered into his ear. Ciel's visible eye lit up with malice. As they were saying something else, Ciel walked up.

"Now, now, who's the man who wishes for that most of all?" The woman was saying.

"That's what I'd like to know." They both looked up, the man choking on his drink. "Could I ask you to share the wisdom of your greater experience?" Ciel asked, smiling.

"Oh, there's nothing we could possibly teach you" The blonde woman said smiling back.

"No not at all!" The man at the back said.

"B-by the way, my lord, I recently got wind of a pretty little investment…"

"Pardon me, my lords and lady, but my young master has other engagements to attend to." Sebastian said as he bowed. He then took Lily's arm and they walked away beside Ciel.

"She's quite lucky. That man is very attractive" The woman with the purple veil and blonde hair said, watching Sebastian

"So is she. They're a match made in heaven" They watched Lily and Sebastian leave. They laughed as they heard.

"What tiresome people" Ciel said, instantly dropping his happy façade.

"Ciel!" A voice called. Elizabeth ran into Ciel, hugging him tightly.

"Elizabeth"

"Ciel, Ciel, Ciel, look at this!" She said, shoving the paper into his face.

"Hey, Elizabeth, I can't read it like that!" Ciel said, flinching away from the paper.

"It's a deer!"

"A deer?"

"I got the clipping from Edward. He's heard tons of news everywhere. According to him, there's an ever so rare and elusive deer on a hill right near here! We can go have our picnic there!"

"Ever so rare?" Ciel repeated.

"It's a white stag that brings happiness!" Elizabeth said. "You'll come too, won't you, Lily?"

"Of course" Lily smiled.

"I've never heard of it" Ciel said.

"According to legend, the rare white stag has traditionally been considered a messenger of the netherworld. Those who receive his message are supposedly blessed with good fortune." Sebastian said.

"Hey, how did you get to be such a know it all?" Lily asked, elbowing Sebastian.

"Yes, you know everything, Sebastian!" Lizzie said, her green eyes identical to Lily's sparkled with delight.

"Thank you, my lady" He said.

"That's just a fairy tale." Ciel said.

"No, it's true! There are witnesses! Let's go look for it, Ciel, can't we, please?"

"No, I'm busy" Lizzie put on her sad puppy face and started to fake cry, a trick Lily taught her when Ciel wasn't doing what she wanted him to do. 'A man is the head, but a woman is the neck, and where the woman turns, there the man will follow', Lily said while teaching her.

"Will you look at that, he's making his fiancée cry."

"They say they're engaged, but they're probably just playing house"

"I wonder if that means my niece still has a chance?"

"Sebastian, get a boat"

"Certainly"

"Lady Elizabeth, I'd like to go inspect another floodgate down the stream. Would you like to accompany me? I'm told the elusive white stag lives on this land. Have you heard of it?"

Like a lady, Elizabeth took his hand. "Yes, I'd love to come!" She said. Everyone clapped as they walked elbow to elbow, with Lily following like a shadow. She took over for Sebastian whenever he had to do something for Ciel. Lizzie dragged Lily and Maylene into the shop for dresses.

"You'll pick something too" She ordered Lily.

"Sure, whatever you want, Lizzie" Lily said. They stood in the clothes shop for a little while.

"You wouldn't have anything shorter on hand?" Lily asked the man, holding up a full length dress.

"We have several shorter ones down here." He said. She quickly chose an elegant ankle length red dress. Very nice, easy to run in if necessary, but also lady like. She paired it with black boots and black gloves. Elizabeth couldn't decide, however.

"Have you decided, my lady?" The man asked.

"Hmm… a simple style for boating would be best, but… that lacy one is adorable, and I love the frills on that one… Ah, blast it! I wish I could wear them all at once!"

"Goodness, take your time!" He said, obviously flattered. Lily got changed in the back tent and walked out.

"Oh, you look so pretty, Lily!" Lizzie said as Lily adjusted the black hat with fake red lilies clustered on the sides.

"Have you chosen?"

"No, I can't choose!"

"Take the light blue one, Lizzie. It's more simple, but it flatters your hair and eyes." Lily said, pointing to the one with the brown belt.

"Okay!" Lizzie adjusted her white hat with the bow in the mirror.

Out back, Sebastian was doing up Ciel's bowtie on his hunting outfit.

"Hadn't you planned to head straight home, my lord?"

"I changed my mind" Ciel said, slightly annoyed with his butler. "This is my duty. To manage the river, and to do this dull socializing and to please my fiancée and yours… All of it is my duty as the head of the house of Phantomhive. And what's more, I don't like being underestimated like this." Ciel said, looking at the river. "You're going to have quite a sum of money on your hands when you marry Lily, and a ton of obligations too. You might as well start learning now."

"Very well, my lord. I'll go check on the boat." Sebastian walked away, and returned when Ciel and Lizzie walked down the stairs hand in hand, Sebastian and Lily following them, also hand in hand. It was time to go 'deer' hunting.


	5. muddy waters

Chapter 5: muddy waters

Ciel and Lizzie sat in the boat, Lily sitting across from them. He held a notebook in one hand. All the other servants stared around.

"Sebastian, what the devil are they doing? This isn't a circus." Bard said.

"I imagine they're trying to find fault with our young master. He does have quite a few social enemies." Sebastian said, not looking up from his notepad.

"Enemies?"

"Yes?"

"For one thing, there are many people who stand to gain from those two breaking off their engagement… and ours too…"

"Breaking it off?" The three yelled at the same time.

"Wait… your engagement?" Bard asked.

"Yes, I proposed to Lily this morning. It hasn't even been a day yet and rumours travel like wildfire around here." Sebastian said with a sigh as he snapped his book shut. "Lily has many suitors who wish to marry her. I got lucky." He said in response to the incredulous faces all the servants were giving him.

"Congratulations, yes" Maylene said.

"I ask that you three behave yourselves and not get any ideas" Sebastian said, throwing the book into the corner of the boat.

"Y-yes sir!" They said. As Sebastian got into the boat beside Lily, the three instantly started gossiping.

"They mustn't break off the engagement, no! Elizabeth is the only one for the young master!"

"We have to help them"

"Right, let's do this… you two understand our job, right?"

"Yes!" They moved off, Sebastian, Lily, Elizabeth and Ciel in one boat, the three servants in the next with all the cargo.

"Hey, there's something over there" Lizzie said, looking through the binoculars. Instantly those three jumped out of the water and onto the shore, trying to grab anything that came their way.

"Drat I was sure the stag was that way" Lizzie said.

"I caught them!" Bard said, holding up three swans.

"I caught them!" Maylene said, holding up rabbits.

"There he is!" Finni said, holding a huge white horse. Lily sighed.

"Do those look like deer to you?"Ciel asked. Lily and Elizabeth laughed. Over by the shore, Lau was placing bets.

"What does he think he's doing?" Ciel asked as Elizabeth sat down, Lily sitting between both of them.

"I was so sure we'd find the stag by lunch" Lizzie said dejectedly.

"Don't worry, we'll find it. We'll keep looking" Lily said encouragingly. Elizabeth nodded. Ciel sighed.

"It's called elusive because it's hard to find, isn't it?" Ciel asked as Sebastian brought the picnic items.

"I suppose you're right" Lizzie said. "All right, we'll eat lunch and then go back searching! What's today's lunch, Sebastian?"

"For today's picnic luncheon, we have shrimp salad, salmon pie and Cheshire cheese sandwiches." He opened the first box to find a pig, and instantly snapped it shut.

"Hey, did someone hear a strange noise?" Lizzie asked.

"I didn't hear anything." Lily said, her eyes narrowing. Someone had messed with their lunch. Her bets were on the three idiots- er- servants.

"My apologies, there's been a slight mistake." Sebastian said.

"That's not like you, Sebastian" Lizzie remarked. Sebastian opened the second, and a flock of pigeons rose out. He quickly jumped, caught them all and shoved them back into the box.

"Good gad, what are you playing at?" Ciel asked.

"I'll be right back" Sebastian said, smiling. He walked until he saw Maylene, Finni and Bard sitting on another picnic blanket.

"Freshness of ingredients is critical" Bard said. "Catch it, trim it and eat it! A premade pie just isn't the done thing!"

"Will the pigeons I caught be useful too, yes?"

"Yes! We'll just roast them lightly with this beauty here" He lit what looked like another flamethrower. "And the little lady will be all smiles" They had noticed Sebastian. In a few seconds, he had punched each one of them across the head and hit Bard twice.

"Sebastian"

"That"

"Hurt!" Bard said as he sprawled on the picnic cloth.

"Really, how many times do I have to tell you? I told you three to behave yourselves." In less than thirty seconds, Sebastian had prepared a nice meal made of everything they had caught. In minutes it was the perfect lunch.

"Impressive as ever, Sebastian" Bard said, his voice slightly muffled with his swollen cheek.

"A Phantomhive butler who can't do this much isn't worth his salt"

"But you're not going to be a butler for much longer, are you?"

"No, I'm not. Soon I'll have to leave" Sebastian said. "When that happens, I really hope the manor doesn't burn down" He muttered and left.

"May I present freshwater fish and lobster soufflé, with roast pigeon in the style of the Pyrenees"

"How marvellous!" Lizzie said. "Wait, isn't this a little different from the menu you listed before?"

"I made alterations to show the local ingredients to better advantage." Sebastian said. Lily smiled._ That's my Sebastian… he always finds a way to solve everything. _

"It looks scrumptious!" Lizzie said. Lily carefully speared a little bit of fish with her fork and tasted it.

"It is delicious" She remarked "As usual"

The crowd started clapping.

"Honestly… this feels like a public circus" Lily muttered under her breath as Sebastian served dessert.

"This is an Eton mess with wild strawberries" He said.

"I never thought you'd go so far as to play dairy farmer" Ciel noted. "Just the memory makes me smile" He said, grinning.

"Quite so, my lord. I imagine you're the only master in the world who would make his butler do such a thing"

"Oh you two are such good friends" Lizzie said.

"I-I am not friends with some blasted but-" He stopped and blushed when he saw Elizabeth laughing happily, and looked away. Lily looked up at Sebastian and smiled. This was going great for those two so far.

Sebastian kept rowing.

"How tiresome… we're simply not finding it" Elizabeth said.

"Want to go home?" Ciel asked.

"No not yet!"

"All right" Ciel lay down. _It's a tranquil day on the river… why do I feel so unsettled? _

"Is something wrong, Ciel?" Elizabeth asked.

"No, nothing"

"Just wait, we'll find it" Elizabeth said. Lily looked up. The sky was beginning to darken. Pretty soon, it began to rain. People were packing up their things and leaving. They had left the boat.

"Elizabeth, wait!"

"I just saw it! It's further in the woods!" Ciel ran and grabbed Elizabeth by the shoulders, turning her around.

"Even the stag will be hiding from this rain. Let's call it a day"

"No! I'm going to find the white stag"

"Don't be unreasonable. We can find it any time we want" Elizabeth looked up. "We can just hire people and offer a reward" He had said the wrong thing.

"You idiot!" She yelled and slapped his hand away.

"Elizabeth"

"That wouldn't mean anything… you don't understand how I feel at all" She ran away, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"Aw, you made her angry with you. I wonder if this is how it will end." A new voice said.

"Lau!" Ciel said, turning around.

"I bet on you finding it. I wish you wouldn't disappoint me."

"It would serve you right for gambling all the time." Lily said, hanging onto Sebastian's arm the same way Ran Mao was hanging onto Lau's arm, except slightly more refined and lady like.

"Why should I care what you want?" Ciel asked.

"A gentleman is charged with pleasing his lady… being an English nobleman is such a bother"

"I was born one. It doesn't bother me in the slightest."

"Oh?"

"But… I was born into a disgraced family… my duty is…"

"Sebastian!" Finni came running up.

"What is it?"

"Lady Elizabeth is in trouble!" He yelled.


	6. the white stag

Chapter 6: the white stag

All of them instantly ran up to where Elizabeth was in the boat, Bard trying to reel her in.

"Elizabeth!" Ciel and Lily yelled.

"Ciel… Lily…" She got up with the pole in her hand.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Lily yelled, her sharp canine teeth biting her lip so hard a drop of blood welled up.

"I saw it… on the other side of the river…" A burst of water made her fall.

"Look out! Don't take your hands off the boat!" Ciel cried. He turned to Lily. "Lily, do something!"

"What do you want me to do? I control fire, not water!" Lily was panicking just as much as Ciel.

"I'm going to find the white stag" Elizabeth whispered. "The white stag…" She slowly made her way to the front of the ship to try to unhook the boat.

"Elizabeth… why?"

"I'll make sure you find happiness" Lizzie whispered.

"What shall we do, young master?" Sebastian asked.

"She's certainly not safe like that… look" Lily pointed to the floodgate.

"It's an old fashioned floodgate. We'd planned to get rebuilding it next month."

"It's already leaking." Lau said. "When it bursts, the water it's barely holding back now will wash upstream and this whole area will be swamped." Ciel stood there, thinking.

"Sebastian.. this is an order; stop the flood!"

"And may I leave Lady Elizabeth?"

"Don't make me repeat myself. I'll go save her. It's my duty."

"Yes, my lord" He motioned for Lily to come and they sprang up into the trees. Ciel made his way across with the rope. With one fist punch, Sebastian broke the entire dam, and the water came rushing in. Ciel grabbed Elizabeth underwater as she sank. _I'll protect her… I will… _Ciel's eyes closed.

"Idiots, both of them" Lily said quietly as she jumped in after them and saved them. The flood had gone and the sky was sunny again. She brought them up onto the surface. Sebastian joined her and held the unconscious Ciel in his arms. Elizabeth came back first. She screamed when she saw Ciel.

"It's all right, my lady, he will wake up in a moment." Sebastian said. "Young master, wake up." he said. Ciel slowly opened his eyes. "Are you awake, young master?" Sebastian asked, soaking wet as well. Elizabeth flung her arms around Ciel and started crying.

"Ciel I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry, I should never have done that!" Elizabeth said.

"Elizabeth…" He touched her cheek. "I'm glad you're all right."

"And I'm glad you're all right, young master" Sebastian said. Ciel jumped up and grabbed the front of Sebastian's butler coat.

"Sebastian, why did you open the gate?" Ciel yelled at him. "I ordered you to stop the flood!"

"And I followed your order."

"What?"

"I doubt it will flood here now, or ever again… in order to restore the proper flow of the river, it was necessary to release the dammed up flow of the water. I guided the current with a little help from everyone there, and had the river's shape altered to its safest form, its rightful form."

"Rightful form?"

"Yes, now it's the way it was several thousand years ago when the white stags were here."

"But we didn't find a stag" Ciel said.

"That's all right, I know we'll find it one day." Lizzie said. Lily laughed happily. They looked at her.

"Actually, the elusive animal we've been looking for all day is at the top of the hill" She said. Those two ran ahead, while everyone else walked quietly behind them.

"Oh wow! A white stag!" They looked at the huge design in the grass.

"It's a hill figure" Sebastian said.

"Hill figure?"

"An ancient geoglyph cut into the chalky rock of a hill. The torrent earlier washed away the surface of the hill and revealed the hidden art."

"So this is the truth behind the legend?" Ciel asked.

"That's amazing, Sebastian!"

"A Phantomhive butler who can't do this much isn't worth-"

"The flowing river never stops, and yet the water is never the same, so it is with man and all his dwelling places." Tanaka said.

"Gah, Tanaka!" The three servants yelled at the same time.

"Where have you been all this time?"

"D-don't tell me… in there?" They looked at the third newly opened box.

"With no one tending it, the glyph must have eventually weathered and been forgotten."

"But… thank goodness… thank goodness you found the white stag, Ciel."

"You were the one looking for it"

"Say, Ciel, are you having fun?"

"I had fun because I got to spend the whole day with you! You see, you're always running off somewhere for 'work'. And each time you come back, you look upset. So that's why… they say the people who see the white stag are filled with happiness their whole lives long…"

"Lizzie…"

"You finally called me that. Remember this sight, Ciel."

"Thank you… Lizzie"

Everyone was happy and smiling, especially Lau, whose bag was filled to the top with money. Sebastian and Lily looked at each other, smiling happily, holding hands like Ciel and Elizabeth. It had been a strange day, but yet a fun day still.


	7. arsonist

Chapter 7: arsonist

"Today's afternoon tea is a green tea from the Kangra valley, with a gooseberry and elderflower jelly." Ciel took a bite of the jelly.

"Well, it will do."

"I'm glad you find it satisfactory, my lord. However, there's work to be done after you finish." Sebastian brought up a letter on a tray.

"People being burned alive?" Lily asked.

"Ah, yes, the rash of crimes that has swept London. I'm told there was another victim last night."

"Yes" Ciel said as he read the letter over once again. "Her majesty grieves at the thought of her subjects trembling in fear every night."

"So, you want me with you every step of the way so if we catch the killer, I can stop the flames?" Lily asked, taking a drink of her tea.

"Correct" Ciel looked troubled.

"What's the matter, my lord?" Sebastian asked. Ciel passed him the paper. "'Faced with a recurrence of these unsavoury incidents, I shall once again leave the matter into the hands of the dog and the spider." Sebastian read.

"The spider… that doesn't sound good to me. Is her majesty sure that man is trustworthy?" Lily asked.

"Hmm… what do you think it means?" He asked Ciel.

"Has this sort of thing happened before?" He wondered.

"Either way, there's no use sitting around." Lily said, standing up.

"We dispel her majesty's worries. That's our first priority. We're setting out for London."

"Yes, my lord."

"And don't let Madam red get wind of what we're doing. This is the sort of thing she enjoys." Ciel said as he walked out of his study.

Pretty soon, the three of them were sitting in the carriage. Under her coat, Lily wore the fighting outfit that she had made in the abbey. The coat she had made herself to make it look like a dress.

"A part of the Phantomhive's past that I don't know about…" Ciel mused.

"It's only natural." Lily said.

"After all, you were forced to assume the earldom before your father had passed everything down to you." Sebastian added.

"Still, I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity" Ciel said. "If I, the new family head, resolve an incident my father was involved in, rumour will spread through the criminal underworld… and they are sure to make a move."

"You intend to use yourself as bait, my lord?"

"All those who hurt my pride, who brought it low… I'm going to drag them out into the open and make them pay. I'll stop at nothing."

"And if they're already dead?"

"You have to ask… I'll tear the truth out of their rotten flesh with my own hands. That's all there is to it."

"That's my master."

Pretty soon they arrived to the crime scene. There was no body. However, the wall and floor was charred.

"Do you think people have it right? The victims took too much drink and spontaneously combusted?"

"Gossip is nothing to go by, find some concrete evidence!" Sir Arthur said to his new detective.

"At once, sir! Move out, boys!" All the detectives ran after the head.

"It seems as though you're having trouble, Sir Arthur"

"Ciel Phantomhive!"

"So, let's hear about the investigation" He said, taking the letter out from the queen and waving it in Randall's face.

"No progress worth mentioning." He said.

"Here's something for you, chief." Lily said as she walked forwards. "The gossip is impossible. To create this kind of charring you need something that combusts more easily. No alcohol can do that." She said as she pointed at the charred wall.

"What makes this different than past incidents? There have been similar crimes, haven't there?" Ciel asked, smirking.

"Then you knew."

"Aha, you just confirmed it." Sir Arthur stared at the boy. "Show me the old case file."

"There's nothing left of it."

"What?"

"And even if there was, I couldn't show it to you. Scotland Yard will find out who did it, why, and what it has to do with the previous case. You aren't needed here."

"I hope you're right. Let's go, Sebastian. Sebastian?" He turned around to see Sebastian looking at some kittens and the mother cat, with Lily laughing to death. Ciel put his hand over his face.

"Chief Inspector! We didn't find any notable evidence." The detective who had replaced Abberline walked up. Sebastian stood up.

"My apologies, young master. They were just such charming kittens…"

"Let's go, kitten fiend." Ciel said, walking past Sebastian. Lily elbowed Sebastian.

"Yeah, kitten fiend"

"You're the one to talk" He said, elbowing her back. Lily's animal form was a cat.

"Who was that, inspector?" The man asked.

"The queen's guard dog has come back to London."

"Queen's guard dog? You mean he's…"

Ciel, Lily and Sebastian sat in the carriage.

"What shall we do now, my lord?" Sebastian asked.

"If the Yard's no help, we only have one choice." They walked into the undertaker's shop. He instantly died of laughter when Lily and Sebastian showed their split personality traditional English comedy.

"What's so funny? They just stood there talking to each other."

"You showed me something truly special, my lord" The undertaker said. "I'll have to keep my end of the bargain."

He set a jar full of glittering powder on the coffin closest to Ciel.

"What's this? I asked to see a corpse from the arson case!"

"Yes, and this is it, my lord" The undertaker said. "I scraped up what was left of the victim on the scene. The fire was so hot, it only left ashes behind."

"Well, that gives me something to work with." Lily said. "That's no ordinary fire. It must have had some sort of ignition to it, like oil, to make it burn that hot."

"Hmm… the fire expert now, are we?" The undertaker asked. Lily's gloved hand caught on fire.

"You could say so." She said, smiling as Undertaker threw her the bottle. She caught it and passed it to Ciel, who examined the glittering ashes.

Their next stop was the funeral of the woman who just recently died. They closed the coffin on the shoe, the only thing left of her.

"Young master" Sebastian whispered. Two people walked up, a man and a woman.

"I'm Turner, the photographer. I'm terribly sorry for your loss. I brought the last picture taken of your wife." He said, and held it out to the man.

"She was so lovely." The woman said. The blond man's burnt fingers were too shaky, and the portrait smashed.

"My condolences, sir" She said. As they left, Ciel saw several sparkles fly off the woman, the same sparkles as there were in the glittering ashes.

That evening, Sebastian had collected samples.

"Pardon me" He said, knocking. He walked into Ciel's study, Lily following him. "The substance found in the ashes matched the sample we collected from the photographers."

"Its magnesium oxide, a substance often left behind after magnesium based flash powder is ignited during photography. I tested it out myself and it burns as hot as the undertaker said, hot enough to not leave anything behind except for the powder itself." Lily said.

"Photography, eh?"

"We were able to obtain information on import products from Mr. Lau" Sebastian said.

"Apparently, a magnesium shipment arrived in the Docklands the other day." Lily said. "The same day when that woman was killed. It was bound for a London portrait studio. It was a whole ship full, young master. It sounds rather suspicious."

"That's more than they'd need for simple flash powder."

"Quite. And the victims also had something in common…" he dug in his pockets and found the folded piece of paper, which he showed to Ciel. "All the women who were burned recently had wedding photos taken…"

"At Turner's studio." Lily finished. "I sure am glad we're not doing any wedding photos… not that we'd get burned or anything, but it's still a creepy thought."

"Lily, can you neutralize the fire if you have to?"

"Yes… my power is unlimited in that area." She said happily as Ciel took the gun out from his pocket and ran towards the door. "Let's go. That couple really knows what's happening."

"Certainly."

They left quickly. The house was already burning, the woman running down the street. Lily flipped out her jackknife and disposed of her coat. They jumped out of the carriage after that woman.

"She's…"

"Mrs. Turner from the portrait studio, yes"

"Happiness, where is my happiness, yes?" The woman asked, stopping to take some pictures. Instantly after she clicked, the windows burst into flames.

"Look out!" Sebastian grabbed Lily and Ciel and threw them out of the way as the nearest building exploded into flames. Lily clicked her fingers and the fire died down.

"So the camera is her ignition device? Lily, Sebastian, capture her!"

"Yes, my lord" It was no longer as amusing, but still interesting when Sebastian and Lily knelt down and said it in perfect unison. They ran after her. A new voice started singing in the alley, and Grell's chainsaw met Sebastian's fistful of silverware.

"So it's you" Sebastian said.

"I've just been dying to see you" Grell said, batting his fake eyelashes.

"So you've been pulling strings behind the scenes, Grell?" Sebastian asked.

"All I've been pulling are the red threads of fate that bind our hearts!" He said, before Lily jumped up and hit him over the head twice, making Grell drop his chainsaw.

"Ow, how could you? Don't be so rough with me!"

"Oh, sorry, what strings again?" Lily asked as she showed Grell the ring on her finger.

"You're kidding me! Sebas-chan, you deserter! You're so heartless and cruel!"

"You attacked me." He said.

"Come on, I only took a little swipe at you out of excitement! Anyway, I was following that old pig!"

"You too?" Sebastian asked.

"You two know this freak?" Ciel asked as he walked forwards.

"He's a grim reaper, who reaps the souls of the dead."

"Grim reaper? So there are others like you?"

"Several others" Lily said.

"I imagine he's here to reap the souls of the arson victims, my lord."

"But no more work for me now that you're here, Sebas-chan." Grell said.

"Hey, back off!" Lily said.

"Oh come on, darling, let me have him for just one night." Sebastian moved to the side.

"Sebastian, we have no time for this freak! Let's move!"

"At once!"


	8. burning passion

Chapter 8: burning passion

They ran through the streets.

"Ah, ah, ah! Sebas-chan, if you want me in your arms, leap through these flames!" Grell said.

"Excuse me" He said and jumped on Grell's face, making him fall. Lily leaped over him too, her jackknife growing into a sword.

"Sebas-chan, wait!" Grell called. Lily stopped and dragged Grell to his feet.

"Get moving, Grell, you have a soul to reap." She said.

"Oh, so we're friends now?" Grell asked happily. "Could you give me some secrets on how to get a gorgeous man like Sebastian?"

"I'll think about it." She said as they ran to catch up with Sebastian.

"There she is" Sebastian said, and ran into an alley. It was pure darkness.

"Oh dear, did you let her get away?" Grell and Lily caught up with Sebastian.

"Shouldn't you be working, Grell?" Sebastian asked.

"I am a hunter of love, and I'm on your trail" Grell said. "That's my job, darling. And of course, I only have one soul to reap."

"One?" Sebastian asked. Grell flipped out his to-die list.

"Hmm… Margaret Turner, five past midnight." Grell said. "After an indiscriminate killing spree, she burns herself to death as well." He read.

"Burns herself to death?" Lily wondered.

"That's what it says, little flower." Grell said. "According to the soul ledger, this is the only soul I'm meant to reap."

"What about everyone who's died in these fires?" Sebastian asked.

"When she burns people to death, their souls are burned away with them." Lily said gravely. "That's one of the reasons why there's so few ifrits, to keep the world in balance. You can see that fire is a very big and dangerous thing. Let's catch up with the young master. He's up on that tower." she pointed to the clock tower.

"Young master"

"When did the old sow get up there?"

"For once you're right, Grell… she does look like a pig."

The three of them looked up as the clock tolled midnight.

"Well then, we must hurry" Sebastian said. The mark on Sebastian's hand glowed, as did the mark on Lily's.

"Come, Sebastian!" Ciel's voice echoed.

"Yes, my lord." They said in unison. The three of them began scaling the tower, Lily and Sebastian running up the walls, Grell scaling with his chainsaw. The woman looked over and freaked out.

"What the devil?" She wondered.

"My butler, his fiancée, and a freak." Ciel said. She looked down at the three.

"Stay out of this!" She threw the whole bucket on Lily and Grell, who were ahead. The flames just passed them by. "Why, why won't you burn?" Lily let Grell go ahead as she clicked the camera several times. Lily just extinguished the fire.

"Using a grim reaper as bait? You fiends" Ciel said, smirking. Grell and Lily flipped into the air and landed across from her. The woman took a step back in shock and clicked at Grell with her camera.

"Now listen here!" Grell said, posing as the flames exploded behind him, doing him no harm. "We ladies ripen and color and sweeten each time you photograph us! That's right, just like a bright red succulent fruit. It's pouring; no it's gushing out of me!" Grell said as he twirled around. "Just welling up out of every pore! Yes, right now I am the queen of fruits, the mangosteen of grim reapers!"

"Indeed, I can hardly resist biting you." Sebastian said.

"Please, please!" Grell said. The woman stared in shock at yet another arrival.

"You're late" Ciel said.

"My apologies, my lord."

"I told you, burn!" She yelled. Sebastian kicked her down before she could do anything.

"Impossible..."

"This is the least I would do on my master's orders." Sebastian said.

"W-who are you people?" She asked.

"I am merely one hell of a butler"

"And I am merely one hell of a fiancée." Lily said.

"And I'm one mangosteen of a grim reaper!" Grell added as the camera fell neatly into his hand.

"Nice catch!" Lily said.

"Oh, why thank you"

"Now tell us everything." Ciel ordered. The woman flung herself onto the floor.

"He told me… he told me if I did this, splendid men would fall in love with me!"

"He?"

"The one with the golden eyes!" she said as she caught on fire.

"I can't believe it… her soul is burning, too!" Grell said.

"Burning passion… happiness!" she yelled.

"Young master!" He grabbed Ciel and jumped as the top of the building exploded. "Are you hurt, young master?"

"I'm fine."

Grell and Lily jumped down from the top of the building.

"This can't be? How can a soul I'm supposed to collect just burn up?" He asked, flipping frantically through his book.

"Grell, you left this." Lily said, giving him the death scythe. "You don't want to use scissors again, do you?"

"Oh, thank you darling! You're marvelous!" Grell said, stroking his death scythe. "I'll report to Will, so I'll make this the last one!" He took a picture of him and Sebastian. "Next time, let's sit for a lover's portrait in the night, Sebas-chan!" He said as he ran away.

"Young master, you ordered me to capture her but…" he held out his hand to show a fistful of glittering ash.

"So everything burned to ash… I'll inform her majesty that these murders were performed by a woman crazed with greed."

"it's silly what humans can do out of longing for love." Sebastian surveyed the burning city.

"It's so stupid… for a silly, shapeless, meaningless thing like love…"

"It's laughable, isn't it?" Lily asked.

"Very… but aren't you two in love?"

"Demon love is more concrete than human love" Lily said. "It's much different."

"But not everything has burned away. Investigate this 'spider'. It might have made a move during the case."

"Yes, my lord." They spoke once again in perfect unison.


	9. semi chapter: a lady's beauty

Semi chapter: A lady's beauty.

Alois and Claude lay in the tall grass, watching the meadow behind the Phantomhive manor while Lily played with her powers. They watched as she made a bow and arrow made of fire and shot a tree. Before it could even begin to catch on fire, Lily clicked her fingers and the fire disappeared, the tree unburned.

"Ha, she's amazing just like you said, Claude!" Alois said, clapping his hands.

"Master, if you don't keep your voice down, we'll get caught." He said. They watched for a little longer as Lily made wings out of fire and flew into the sky, and plunged into the water and emerging again completely dry. She spun around and around in circles, making the fire follow her in little lassoes.

"Make her mine along with Ciel Phantomhive." Alois ordered.

"Yes, your highness."

"Let's get going, Claude."

"Very well." They stood up. Claude had never seen an ifrit demon in his life, but this one was unlike anything he had been expecting. She was beautiful. Her long hair shimmered like a candle flame and would fan out behind her with the slightest bit of wind. Her green eyes were the color of summer grass, and seemed to reflect an unseen light.

It was a bit of a surprise, as he had thought every demon woman would have a build like Hannah's, as they had to be attractive to men. Lily on the other hand, had a willowy boyish figure, but she was even more beautiful than Hannah, almost twice as beautiful. She was almost as pretty as _she_ had been. He refused to say her name, refused to acknowledge the past. That was behind him.

Claude's eyes narrowed as he watched Sebastian come out onto the grass and grab Lily from behind in a hug. He watched as they laughed together. However, in no time, Ciel Phantomhive would be his master's, and Lily Middleford would be his. He would leave Sebastian with nothing. The attraction was something he needed to work out. It was very difficult to break an attraction, but he was sure he could do it.

He walked behind Alois, her captivating green eyes still lingering in his mind.


	10. train ride

Chapter 9: train ride

The train puffed down the tracks. Ciel, Sebastian and Lily sat in one car of the train, Lily hanging happily onto Sebastian's arm. The ruby in the middle of her white ring flashed in the light. Sebastian moved to take the portable tea making device and pour the boiling water into the cups.

"Would you like your tea now, young master? I find the aroma of Williamson & Magor's summer Darjeeling perfectly suited to the sight of greenery through a train window." He said. Lily happily accepted her cup. Ciel remained surly, his expression not too pleasant.

"Ciel, we're meant to seem as if we're on holiday" Lily said.

"The criminal will spot us like this." Sebastian agreed. "Please try to look a bit pleasanter." He said as he passed the cup. Lily stifled a laugh, and Ciel glared at her, but not in a hateful way.

"I know, I know"

"Are you really that preoccupied with the Trancys, my lord?"

"No"

"I am, however. That woman who burned to death a few days ago… she said a man with golden eyes made her do it. As far as I know, the butler of the Trancy's has golden eyes." Lily said.

"As for me, I am curious, but for the moment, that is all. Right now, the queen's orders take priority." He said. Lily lifted back the curtain so Ciel could look through it.

"That's Lord Ackroyd then? And the boy kidnapped was his only son." He looked at the grey haired man, clutching a case like the one Lau had when they had gone on the search for the white stag.

"Yes, and if the police find out, the hostage will be killed." Sebastian said.

"But how would the kidnapper know if the police got wind of it?" Lily asked.

"It would be quite obvious if they burst down the door." Ciel noted.

"It seems to me as if the kidnapped wouldn't wait that long. Either way, I believe Sebastian and I work better than the best police in the area." She said.

"He was instructed to bring the ransom aboard this train." Sebastian said.

"And the ransom is 5 000 pounds…"

"What humans stoop to for money." Lily sighed. Sebastian played with a long strand of her hair, braiding it and then unwinding it again.

"I take it that's the price humans set for their own souls" Sebastian mused.

"Such idiots…" Lily said.

"The kidnapper must be somewhere on this train." Ciel said. "We'll find him, capture him and safely rescue the hostage. That's the only way to dispel her majesty's distress."

"Very good, my lord"

"It shall be done" Lily said.

A little while later, the three of them walked onto the public area of the train.

"It's the find of the century!" One man said. "Because what yours truly discovered was the pharaoh Smenkhkare, hidden in the valley of the kings!"

"It's so crass to brag about robbing a grave." Lily said.

"I met him once during his lifetime." Sebastian said.

"No surprise there" Lily said, smiling. "You've been everywhere, haven't you?"

"He was an affable man of great virtue. Still… even taking the desiccation into account, his face really seems quite different." He said, looking at the mummy.

"Then he's a fake? Do you mean that the archaeologist is the kidnapper?"

"I highly doubt it." Lily said. "There are a whole bunch of weirdoes on this train." She pointed at a man with bloodshot eyes.

"Oh ho! The train that left St. Pancras station at exactly 9:00 will soon cross the Cambridge bound route at Bedford at 10:18!" His eyes switched madly back and forth.

"See what I mean?" Lily asked.

"This is thrilling! This is not to be missed!" He cried, looking at the book from every possible angle. "We'll pull into the Derby station at 1:05… oh, we'll definitely have a time lag!"

"Is he really reading the timetables?"

"Yes, he seems to have a bizarre obsession with railways."

Ciel walked forwards and bumped onto a bag.

"What do you think you're doing, you damned brat?" The old Japanese man yelled.

"I see you're from Japan" Sebastian said. "The scrollwork on that furoshiki cloth is lovely."

"Don't touch it! This is a precious family heirloom."

"Then why leave it in the aisle?" Lily asked. "Are you an idiot or what? Just put it down on the seat beside you. Old fool…" She muttered. He didn't hear the rest. _What's inside? Is he hiding something? _Ciel wondered.

"I'm sorry, my boy, he's just so stubborn!" A small Japanese woman who had to be his wife walked towards them. "Here, a token of our apologies!" She held up a bunch of rice cakes.

"No thank you, ma'am" Sebastian said.

"Oh I see, does anyone else want one? I have plenty. There are some with bonito flakes and some with pickled plums…" She ran around shoving it in people's faces. Lily smiled.

"Like I said, there are odd people on the train." Lily said as the woman asked someone else.

"None of your bloody oriental food." The man said. "Everyone says cholera is rampant in Asia."

"That's an outrageous falsehood!" The old Japanese man said.

"Stop that" One man with glasses said, getting up. "Don't you think it's rude for you to take that attitude with travellers who have come all this way?" The priest asked.

"Shut up!" The Englishman said.

"As the holy book tells us, those who travel will be blessed." He said. The argument continued. His sleeve fell down.

_A tattoo on a priest?_ Ciel wondered.

"My, my" Sebastian said, enjoying the fight. Lily said nothing and hung onto his arm, though she seemed to be enjoying the argument as well. The door bust open.

"Everyone please calm down!" A new figure in a grey trench coat yelled. "Cool down and sit down! I can understand your unease. Yes, we're transporting an assassin on this train, however he is being kept under strict armed guard!" The man said.

"Who's this freak now?" Lily muttered. "This train is full of the mentally ill…"

"There's no need to worry…" Obviously, the people didn't know there was an assassin on the train.

"Run!" Everyone trampled over the idiot detective.

"I recognize him." Ciel said.

"Oh, why you're the Phantomhive-" He tripped and fell on his face, much to Lily's amusement. He blushed at the sight of her. Lily was always a pretty woman, but now since she had become a demon, she was twice as attractive.

"Eel pie and mash really brings back memories! Traditional English food, just like mom used to make." The detective said as he cut into his pie. Ciel, Sebastian and Lily sat in the booth across from the detective, trying not to pay any attention. Lily's ifrit temper was acting up, and she was getting really annoyed. "I say, that was quite a fuss back there, wasn't it?" He asked them.

"And whose fault is that?" Lily asked. She sniffed in disdain and went back to carefully eating.

"At any rate, Sir Arthur will call you on the carpet for dining with me." Ciel said.

"Pish posh. I've wanted to get better acquainted with you, and the lovely lady you have there-" He winked at Lily before he got a spoon lightly thrown in the face, not enough to do any damage.

"Oops, my hand slipped. You'll have to forgive me." Lily said.

"That's fine… ouch… good throw, lady. Either way, my twin brother talked a lot about you. I wish he could have tasted this." He said as he ate.

"It doesn't look like he knows about the kidnappings" Lily whispered. Ciel agreed. The chink of a cup made the three of them turn around. Poorly disguised, the butler of the Trancy family sat there, drinking tea. He looked up, his square glasses shining in the light. His piercing gaze made Lily stiffen. Why wouldn't he stop looking at her? Sebastian noticed and glared at Claude.

"What is it?" Ciel asked.

"Nothing… shall we go, young master?" He asked. Ciel stood up. They passed the detective, who was still eating like a pig.

"No, Ciel, if you don't take a rest after your meals, you'll ruin your stomach." Lily snorted as he choked. Claude smiled. _It seems like we have the same opinions. We should be able to get along well. Maybe it won't be so hard to steal her from Sebastian. _


	11. time bomb

Chapter 10: time bomb

They walked down the hallway.

"Loosen up, Sebastian, he didn't try to hurt me" Lily whispered into his ear. Sebastian was still angry.

"He might, though. I can't stand the thought of anyone besides myself putting their hands on you."

"He's behind us now, so just relax. I won't hesitate to turn him into a pile of ashes if he tries anything." Lily said. Sebastian nodded and he seemed to look more at ease. He had a hard time remembering that Lily could defend herself very well now.

"I must say, there are quite a few suspicious characters on that train." He said to Ciel.

"Yes… a priest with a tattoo, a sham archaeologist, a surly Japanese man, a man obsessed with timetables… they're all too blatantly suspicious."

"It's like they're trying to be that way." Lily remarked.

"And if there's an assassin on board…" A man holding his hat down walked past.

"Excuse me" He said, keeping his hat over his eyes. Ciel recognized him and grabbed his elbow.

"You're that porter from the station. What are you doing on this train dressed like a traveller?" Ciel asked. The man pulled his arm away.

"Damn…"

"He's the kidnapper!" Lily yelled. The three of them ran after him. The man was trying to unhitch the last cart.

"Damn it, I can't get the bloody thing to…" He pulled again and the cart came free.

"Stop!" Ciel yelled, but the man was riding away.

"Sebastian, Lily, Don't let him get away!" Ciel yelled.

"Yes, my lord" Sebastian and Lily jumped on, Sebastian keeping a firm hold on Lily's waist so she wouldn't fall. They opened the door.

"Now, hand that over" The man said, walking towards lord Ackroyd. "If you don't make it quick, the boy's life is over." He said. Sebastian and Lily drew two guns and pointed them at the back of his head.

"I'd be more concerned about your life, frankly." Sebastian said. The man turned around.

"W-who are you people?"

"We'll make this plain and simple-" Lily said.

"-Where is the young hostage?" Sebastian asked.

"On board that train. But you can't save him now. What a shame!" He said.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, her gun still inches from the man's forehead.

"I rigged a bomb to explode as soon as the train stops. I thought I'd put on a nice big fireworks display after I got the ransom money."

"You disgusting man." Lily said. "You would stoop so low for measly notes?" Sebastian clicked open his pocket watch.

"We have ten minutes before the next stop." Sebastian said.

"Serves you right!" The man said, laughing. Sebastian kicked him out the window and he landed in the bush.

"Nice one" Lily said, giggling. "He looks like a partridge covered in thistles."

"There's not much time."

"We can make it." Lily said. Together they jumped onto the tracks. "I'll try to find the bomb. You get the hostage." She said and zoomed off faster than the eye could see her move. She started searching on top of the train. "Shit, shit, shit… where could it be?" She gritted her teeth. A new figure appeared on the car.

"You… you're…" Claude walked onto the top of the car towards her.

"Do you need some help?" He asked.

"I'm doing just fine." She said.

"You don't look like you are. The train will stop soon, over a used bridge that won't be able to hold our weight. We'll need to get rid of the bomb first."

"I guess you're right." She said. "Help me look."

They searched the ship, with Lily oddly conscious of the fact that she was with the very man that Sebastian had told her to stay away from. It did seem rather rude to decline help; however, because she was sure she wouldn't manage it. Fire wouldn't solve anything in this case. If she burnt the bomb, it would explode anyway.

"Over here." Lily said. She felt kind of like a dog as she managed to sniff out the metal difference to find the bomb. She slid the panel of the bomb open to expose the wires. One wrong cut and it would blow up. "Which wire do I cut?"

"The black one behind the panel." Claude said. She ripped open the panel, grabbed the wire and snapped it with her sharp canine teeth easier than a knife would cut through butter, managing not to electrocute herself. She then proceeded to dismantle the bomb and to throw it into the nearby hedge.

As she was working the train lurched and Lily almost fell, but Claude caught her with one hand, the other holding onto his hat. He looked into her eyes, narrow golden eyes staring into large green ones. She once again got that strange tinge of familiarity. Where had she seen that butler before?

"Thank you…" She said quietly.

"You're welcome." Claude disappeared into an open window, but not before he left something for her, a pretty red bracelet with a flame. _How tacky._ She thought and scooped the heavy bracelet into her pocket. She would throw it away once she got home. She slid through the door to the cabin where she could hear Sebastian's voice. The assassin had walked through the door and held a knife to Ciel's throat.

"A hostage again, young master?" Sebastian asked. Lily walked to stand beside Sebastian. Claude was nowhere to be seen. "I do believe you enjoy being captured." He said smiling. Lily smirked.

"What are you on about?" Ciel asked.

"This is what, the third time you've been captured? You either try on purpose to get captured or you have a lot of bad luck, Ciel." Lily said.

"So it was you… bloodbath Johnny…" The priest stood up and said.

"Well if it isn't jackknife Heyward!"

"You ought to know what will happen to the kid if you don't stop the train." Bloodbath Johnny said.

"I'd love to stop it myself, but I'm afraid there's a bomb on board that will explode if we stop." Sebastian said.

"N-not to mention we have a cholera outbreak in this carriage" The detective said.

"You're saying a train with a bomb on board is headed for a rundown bridge and there's cholera?"

"it's certainly a full course menu of crises" Sebastian said, not sounding the least bit worried.

"Enough of this, Sebastian, hurry up and do something about this."

"Allow me" Lily said.

"Forget about it! I'm out of here!" The man yelled and backed out with Ciel. Lily ran after him. Sebastian soon followed as the assassin was on the top of the bridge.

"You persistent brat!"

"Pass the young master over to me" Sebastian said. There was a bridge coming up ahead.

"Sure, sure, I'll be right… I win!" He yelled and ducked. Sebastian's head was stronger than the bricks and made a huge gouge straight in the top of the bridge. The dust cleared and he was perfectly fine.

"Come this way, young master" Sebastian said. Ciel walked towards him.

"Y-you're a monster…" he said. Lily grabbed his hand and held him in a headlock, his own knife right next to his own throat. Sebastian walked towards him.

"No, I'm just merely-"

"One hell of a butler" Lily finished, smiling.

"Now, Mr. Assassin…"

"Have a pleasant trip!" Lily threw him into the air and kicked him into a bush the way one would expertly kick a soccer ball.

"Next, the bomb…" Sebastian said.

"Sebastian, I already disabled it!" She said as Sebastian lifted the cover to find the remains of the bomb Lily had disassembled with Claude's help. "Get to the bridge!" Lily yelled as the train ran towards the bridge. Sebastian jumped off and ran in front of the train, stopping it with one hand just as it was about to lean over the edge.

"That was a close shave, but you managed." Ciel said. He jumped into Sebastian's arms and he put him down on the ground. Lily jumped down on her own and instead, hugged him.

"That was amazing" She said happily. They walked over where everyone was getting loaded onto a different train. Sebastian and Lily were waiting in line when Claude walked up to Sebastian. Lily was passing her stuff aboard the train and didn't hear them.

"Here" Claude said, passing a cloth to Sebastian. "My tea spilled in all the commotion. A true butler should have been able to sort that out without the slightest rocking of the train."

"Yes, I can see you took some damage as well." Sebastian said without even looking at Claude. He whipped out an invitation. "What's that?"

"If you wish to investigate my master, march into the Trancy mansion right through the front gate. You want to help young master Ciel take his revenge, don't you?"


	12. Encounters

Chapter 11: Encounters

"A ball…. a costume ball? At the Trancys? Are you sure this is a good idea, Ciel?" Lily asked, reading the invitation though she was all the way across the room.

"I am curious, as I said before. I wish to investigate the Trancys. I have a feeling I might find something if I do." Ciel said, standing up. Lily looked nervously at Sebastian, both of them thinking the same thing. What would happen if Ciel gained back his memories?

_Should I try to stop him? _ Lily asked.

_No, what happens will happen. Don't stress yourself out over it. _

Lily sighed and walked out the door. Pretty soon they had all piled up in the carriage.

"Ball, ball, ball, tonight we're going to a costume ball!" Finni sang at the front of the cab.

"I'm looking forwards to it, yes!"

"Yeah, he's even letting us servants come if we wear costumes. Now that's a nice guy for you. What was his name? Tr-tr… Trumpet?" Bard asked.

"It's Lord Trancy, yes!"

Inside the carriage, Ciel brooded over the information newly given to him.

"Alois Trancy… you say the previous Earl Trancy died three years ago?" Ciel asked.

"That's correct" Ciel was silent for a bit.

"Alois went missing after he was kidnapped when he was very young. But he came back just before his father passed away… along with a mysterious butler… am I right?"

"Yes. The story seems familiar somehow." Sebastian said.

"It's a common one."

Lily stayed silent, which was pretty uncommon for her. She played with her long dangly red earrings, looking nervously out the window as they approached the Trancy manor.

_What's the matter, Lily?_

_Nothing._

_Are you sure? _Lily sighed. She couldn't escape Sebastian's watchful eyes.

_No… that butler we saw on the train… he wouldn't stop looking at me. He creeped me out a lot._

_I won't let him hurt you. There's no need to be worried. _

Lily nodded. Her once human liquid looking green eyes had hardened into something like reflective emeralds. However, the more nervous she looked, the harder and colder her gaze became. She had no reason to be scared of Claude, but if Sebastian didn't trust him, neither did she. He had seemed nice enough on the train, however. But her parents had always taught her not to count on first appearances. Sebastian waited with the door open as Ciel and Lily got out of the carriage.

"Right, then. We'll be coming in the back way." Bard said as Sebastian closed the door.

"See you later, young master!" Maylene called.

"Look forwards to seeing our costumes!" Bard snapped the reins and the horses cantered off. Lily stared at the wide mansion. If she wasn't mistaken, it was even bigger than the Phantomhive mansion. The afternoon sun struck the building and it loomed in front of her, throwing them all into the darkness of its shadow. Ciel reached out, but before he could even knock, the door opened.

"The Right Honourable Ciel, Earl Phantomhive, and Lady Lilyanne Middleford, I presume?" Claude asked. "We have been expecting you." He stared into Lily's penetrating green eyes. He found them particularly hard to look away from. "I am Claude Faustus, the butler of this house. Please come in." He opened the door. Ciel began to walk in, and Lily tentatively followed. Sebastian stopped and looked up.

"What is it, Sebastian?" Lily asked and looked up too. Claude followed their gaze.

"Ah, yes. The Trancy coat of arms bears a spider, so it is our tradition not to kill them."

"That makes sense" Sebastian said. "If you try to force it away, it will cling to you for life." He said. It was an insult to Claude and a warning to Lily. She needed to stay away from this man if she didn't want to get hurt. Though he doubted she would. She could turn him into a pile of ashes if she had to. Claude's face was still an expressionless mask.

"This way, please" He said. They walked in. No sooner had Ciel taken a few steps, he stumbled backwards. Sebastian put his hands on Ciel's shoulders to steady him.

"What's the matter, young master?"

"It's nothing" Ciel shook off Sebastian's hands. "Might my butler come along?"

"Certainly" Claude answered.

"Come, Sebastian"

"Certainly…" They walked in.

"I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid my master is currently away on business." Claude said as he closed the door. "He'll return in time for the ball."

"I see"

"I've laid out tea in the drawing room. Everyone else is already waiting."

"Everyone else?" Ciel wondered. No sooner had Ciel set foot in the doorway to the drawing room, Elizabeth crashed into him with her infamous tackle hug.

"Ciel!"

"Elizabeth…"

"Honestly, it's Lizzie." Elizabeth said. "I'm so glad you could come, Lily!"

"Me too…" Lily smiled.

"You're late, my lord" Lau's voice came from the sofa he was sitting on. Ran Mao sat on his lap.

"Lau! So you two were invited as well? That means…" Ciel scanned the room.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"Nothing, it's just that I thought Madam Red would be here too, but I don't see her. I'd have thought she wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Oh, well you see…" Lau said. Lizzie, thinking he was going to give it away, started flailing her hands in front of Ciel's face.

"Please calm down, Lizzie" Lily said.

"Ciel!" Soma ran into him and hugged Ciel, crying his eyes out.

"Oh my" Lau said. Lily glanced at Sebastian.

"Ciel! Ciel!" Soma said.

"Who the blazes are you? Let me go!"

"Who am I? You mean… you…" he started crying again.

"I told you, let me go!" Ciel yelled. Lily took a step forwards, but Sebastian held her back.

"Don't worry. He came along with Prince Soma" He whispered into her ear. Lily relaxed.

"You mustn't do that, your highness!" Agni said, and ran to restrain Soma.

"No, no, Ciel, Ciel!"

"Who is that man?" Ciel asked. Agni and Sebastian exchanged glances. Agni smiled. It was interesting for Lily to see how Sebastian actually viewed Agni as his equal, a human, and had respect for him. Agni walked forwards.

"My apologies, my lord. This is the 26th child of the king of Bengal, Prince Soma Asman Kadar."

"And why would the prince start weeping the minute he saw me?" Ciel asked in annoyance.

"Ciel!" Soma ran towards Ciel again, but Agni held him back. "I…I finally got to see you, but you're…"

"His highness is deeply moved by meeting the founder of the Funtom company. Funtom toys are considered very rare and wonderful from where we come from." Agni explained, trying to cover up from his Prince's every mistake.

"Our memories will never fade!" Soma said.

"Er… Those toys hold precious memories for the prince and his friend." Agni explained as he prevented Soma from talking to Ciel.

"No matter what happens, the friendship between the two of us will…"

"This friend was very dear to his highness" Agni said. "But he… he… oh it's heartbreaking!" Agni started fake crying too. Lily sighed in relief as they left. Three servants that were exactly identical except for minute hairstyle changes led Ciel, Sebastian and Lily through the house.

"What queer people" Ciel said.

"Foreigners are a bit baffling, aren't they?" Sebastian asked. Lily smiled. He was glad to see her smiling again, no matter how at unease she was at being here. They kept walking.

"Sebastian, search this mansion from top to bottom, understand?" Ciel whispered. "Lily, keep anyone who tries to follow Sebastian away from them. Use any resort except for killing."

"Yes, my lord" They said quietly.


	13. masquerade ball

Chapter 12: the masquerade ball

Alois held up two outfits in his room, looking at them in disdain. He looked at one outfit, then the other.

"Shit" He threw one on the bed. "And this is shit! This one is shit too! And this!" Pretty soon, all the costumes were on the floor. He grabbed a crown.

"This is shit of the highest grade!" He yelled and threw the crown at Hannah's face. Her forehead started bleeding. Claude opened the door and walked in.

"Where are they?" Alois asked.

"Both of them have arrived." Claude said, bowing. Alois sighed.

"About Lily, you can have her if you want, Claude. You belong to me anyway, and I don't think I could take a fire demon." Alois walked over to the bed. "I was choosing a costume. You wear one too, Claude… something like this!" He said and put a pinkish red dress on Claude's shoulders. Alois laughed. "Ole!" Claude just looked at him. Alois sighed… no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to get Claude annoyed. He grabbed the dress off Claude's shoulders and threw it onto the bed.

"All the costumes you brought me are bloody useless!" Alois said. "Strip, Hannah" He ordered. Hannah slowly took her maid's outfit off until all was left was the corset and the light underskirt.

"I assume you're ready, Claude?"

"Certainly. I transform day into night, pleasure into pain and waltzes into requiems. That's what makes a Trancy butler."

Alois smiled.

"I'll show you a good time, Ciel Phantomhive."

At the ball, everyone was having a good time. Lizzie was dressed up as a native, while Ciel was dressed as a pirate captain, and Soma and Agni were dressed as Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

"There, now we match!" Lizzie said, sticking the feather into Ciel's hat.

"I wonder where Lily is…" Ciel wondered. Sebastian was everywhere searching the house. Lily was supposed to be here, watching Ciel's back and stopping anyone from going in any other rooms of the house. Light footsteps made them look around.

"Oh, wow Lily, you look so pretty!" Lizzie gushed. Lily wore a very pretty pink and green dress. Her long ball skirt was made to look like petals, and the long sleeve top of the dress was green and in the pattern of a large leaf. She smiled happily. Her long hair was twisted up into an elegant knob and was ringed with flowers.

"You look really nice, Lizzie. You too, Ciel" Lily said.

"Young master!" The three servants were dressed strangely in Chinese looking outfits. "We're the three musketeers of the Chinese monsters."

"Let's go ghandara yes!" Maylene said.

"We had a costume made for you too, young master!" They showed him a new costume.

"Rejected." Ciel said. Lily laughed.

"Oh come on, at least wear this part!" They pleaded.

"This is quite the interesting party, right Ran Mao?" Ran Mao nodded.

Sebastian searched inside a drawer of the house, rummaging through the papers. The door to that room opened.

"This is a marvellous room" Sebastian said. "Everything is perfect, from the precision of the bedclothes to the cleaning and even the desk drawers. I sense the special care for your guest you must have taken." Sebastian said, dangling a red bracelet by the chain that he had found in the desk. "It's been very educational for me." _I've learned not to let Lily out of my sight. _He thought, looking at the bracelet in disdain.

"How nice." Claude said. "I'm more impressed by the passion that prompts you to stoop to petty thievery in your duty."

"You flatter me" Sebastian walked to the door and faced Claude. "I won't let you have my young master, or my Lily. You see, I will follow them come hell or high water. They are mine."

"The master's orders are absolute." Claude said. "I'm one hell of a butler too, you know."

_Don't you dare use Catherine's line. _Sebastian thought to himself.

"Pardon me" He said as he walked out of the room. Claude made his way out into the ballroom. He spotted Lily in the crowd, in a pink and green gown. He walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. Lily turned around.

"A new dance is starting. I was wondering if I could be honoured with dancing with you, my lady" He said. Lily looked around for Sebastian, but he was nowhere to be seen. Declining would be just plain rude, so she took his hand and moved away from the crowd. They danced lightly, and easily. Claude was as good of a dancer as Sebastian was. He kept Lily out of Ciel's sight.

Alois, dressed in Hannah's maid outfit, spilled some punch on Ciel's jacket.

"Oh, I'm so sorry" He said, disguising his voice to make it sound more like he was a girl.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"No, it would be horrible if your costume was stained. Come this way" Alois said.

Lily danced for a little bit with Claude before she excused herself and went looking for Ciel.

"Where did Ciel go?" Lily asked Elizabeth.

"A maid spilled a drink on his costume. She said she would wash it. He should be back soon." Elizabeth said. Lily looked around.

"I'll be right back." Lily said, not meaning it. She ran into a room, closed the door behind her and took her dress off. She was wearing her fighting outfit underneath, her jackknife concealed in her pocket. She had to find Ciel, and now, or else she couldn't forgive herself. She heard footsteps outside and ran to follow them.

"I can't have you underestimating me" She heard Ciel say.

"My young master is quite right." Sebastian stepped from behind the tree Lily zoomed behind it as well.

"I believe I warned you earlier, Claude" Sebastian said.

"Oh, we just wanted to chat somewhere quiet." Alois said. He had taken his wig off.

"Really now?" She asked as she stepped out as well. "I find that hard to believe, especially when you dressed in that maid's outfit." Lily said quietly.

"What could you possibly want from me enough to hold a costume ball and dress yourself up that way?"

"I want you" Alois said.

"What do you mean."

"I want you, Ciel Phantomhive. I want you as well, Lily Middleford. You two will be mine. If both of you refuse me, I'll have everyone in there killed." Alois said, pointing to the manor. Lily's eyes tightened.

"I've arranged for a little performance. And if it begins, everyone dies including the people you two care about. That girl… Lizzie, you called her? I hear both of you like her very much. I hear she has your eyes, Lily. Well?"

"Do what you like" Lily and Ciel said.

"Are you sure you two mean that?"

"Of course" Ciel said.

"If you can" Lily added.

"I have something I'd like to ask you too." Ciel said.

"What is it? I'll tell you… if you bow down and kiss my arse." Alois laughed.

"I wonder which of us will kiss arse in the end?" Ciel asked.

"Well, aren't you confident?" Alois asked. "Don't get cocky because your butler has a little talent. My Claude here is even more amazing!" He stuck his tongue out, and a yellow contract symbol rested on his tongue.

"I thought you'd have one too." Ciel said. "But you're forgetting that I have an ifrit on my side. She is bound to Sebastian, and Sebastian is bound to me. You understand our contract well, Sebastian. You'll serve me, you'll protect me, and you will not kill me until my goal is achieved. The same is for you, Lily."

"Of course. I've been your loyal servant since that day." Sebastian said, smiling.

"We'll grant you any wish you like." Lily said.

"Until the day our contract is fulfilled and I take your soul."

"Good answers." Ciel said.

"Hoheo taralna, rondero tarel." Alois said. "Claude! Get me Ciel and Lily!"

"Sebastian, this is an order; protect us at all costs! Do not fail!"

"Yes, your highness…"

"Yes, my lord"


	14. the deal

Chapter 13: the deal

The three identical servants circled around Sebastian and Ciel. Lily had jumped up into a tree and was aiming fire at them, which they dodged.

"Group attack, the raking from hell!" Claude ordered. The one with the ladder jumped and held Sebastian in the ladder's rung. The other clipped his weapon around Sebastian's ankle, preventing him from moving. The third one ran to attack. Alois smirked as the blade got closer and closer to Sebastian. In one crash, he sent the blade flying and all three servants were on the ground. He jumped onto the tree beside Lily.

"I see you are all quite skilled" Sebastian said.

"But that's not good enough." Lily said, and jumped onto the ground, Sebastian following her. They ran straight towards Claude. Both of them flipped up far over their heads and ran past them.

"Wow, Sebastian's amazing." Alois said. "Could he actually be better than you, Claude? Hmm… if we forced him to crawl on the ground for us, that would be even more amazing. Can you do it, Claude?"

Claude's eyes were dark with hate.

"Yes, your highness."

Sebastian, Lily and Ciel ran into the forest. Ciel stopped to rest. The noise of the cursed instrument reached Lily first.

"Sebastian!" She said.

"Young master, please cover your ears." Sebastian said.

"My ears…. ugh!" His hands went to his head. "What is this sound?"

"I believe it's been a hundred years since I heard it last." Sebastian said. The three servants walked up to them. They had been following. Sebastian managed to knock out two of them, still managing to keep his hands over Ciel's ears. Lily advanced on the third, her entire arm lit up in flames, the light creating scary shadows on her face. He ran.

"Sebastian, we have to get back there now!"

"Not to worry, my lord, one of my few friends is there." Sebastian said. Nevertheless he picked Ciel up and ran, Lily two steps behind them to make sure no one followed.

"Are you all right, young master?"

"Shut your mouth and run."

"Certainly"

A maid was playing on the cursed instrument. Lily and Sebastian ran onto the balcony, both of them carrying several glasses of water. They took off their gloves and began to play an equally beautiful melody duet together.

"I don't believe it." Agni said. "Their performance is merging with hers, changing the quality of the sound! To think that something so ominous could change into something so warm and kind… it really shows Sebastian-san's and Lily-sama's love for one another. It is truly wonderful music!"

The instrument broke, and Hannah fell. Everyone clapped for Sebastian and Lily as they finished their performance. Sebastian knelt down beside Hannah.

"Thanks to you, it was a marvellous performance. I am grateful." He said.

"Hmph… flashy as always." Ciel said.

"Ciel!" Lizzie said. Sebastian and Lily walked to Ciel.

"So what was that instrument anyway?" Lily asked.

"An armonica. It was extremely popular in the eighteenth century. People called it 'the voice of the angels'. Some feared that it disturbed the minds of those it enchanted and so it was banished into the dark corners of our history as a demon's instrument."

"So in other words, a 'demon's instrument' created by humans was no match for you two?" Ciel asked.

"Of course not. We found the sound quite pleasant." Lily said.

"Then what was all the fuss about?" Soma asked.

"It was a diversion for my guests." Alois said. He was followed by Claude and those three. One of them helped Hannah up. Alois walked forwards. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sorry I'm late. I am Alois Trancy. I'm honoured to make your acquaintance."

"Oh so that's him!" They muttered.

"He's so young…"

"I'm relieved to see that you enjoyed the entertainment while I was away." He said, smiling. He walked to Sebastian and Ciel. "That was a marvellous performance. You two have great musical talent."

"We're afraid we do not deserve such praise." Sebastian said, walking forwards.

"Yes." Lily agreed. "We simply wanted to make things better for the guests."

"You have an excellent butler, Earl Phantomhive." Alois said.

"He's just a butler."

"Young master, I wish to have a word with Claude, if you wouldn't mind?"

"Why not, Claude?" Alois asked. "Ten minutes. Settle this in ten minutes. If you can't, you'll be punished."

"Yes, your highness."

"Get this over with quickly, do you hear me?" Ciel ordered.

"Yes, my lord."

"Good luck, Sebastian. Lily said. She took his hand in hers. He felt a warm jolt of electricity go up his hand. Lily's eyes glowed red, just like his. "I'm letting you borrow my powers. All of them. Use them as you please, but come back safe." Lily whispered.

"Very well."

Claude and Sebastian stood across from each other on the dock.

"You are persistent people, hunting my young master and my fiancée so relentlessly."

"My master ordered it." Claude said. "'Steal Ciel Phantomhive and Lily Middleford from Sebastian Michaelis'" He quoted.

"They are both mine." He said.

"The feel of his soul… and the rarity of her powers and her beauty… One rarely encounters something so fine, and a demon so rare."

"Just remembering that someone other than myself touched him makes me sick. With your sticky white spider threads, you've defiled his soul… and you dare touch my red flower. You're going to infect her with disgusting spider mites."

"If I do that, will you not want her anymore?"

"No. I will kill you as many times as it takes for you never to come back again." Sebastian said and ran to hit Claude. "That day… you stole my young master's soul from me… and now you try to steal one of the only reasons there is for my life."

"But it wasn't complete. Not just with his soul" Claude said as they ran on the water and attacked each other. "The body is necessary too. And then you came here."

"Yes, I retrieved his soul from you. And yet he is still not my young master."

Claude kicked up an arc of water. Sebastian did the same. Pretty soon, there were three waterspouts circling around the lake.

"Ciel Phantomhive has lost his memories and the pain he lived through." Claude said.

"My young master's soul, which I so carefully cultivated…"

"Ah, I thought so. What you want is a soul that's had its revenge. However…" Claude came out of the water and put his hand on Sebastian's throat. "I sense an extraordinary will in you. A fierce obsession with that soul, and a love for that woman that is very rare for even attractions to experience."

"But of course. You see, I am a demon. And you have a master as well… don't you?"

"Cultivate a soul, and then feast upon it. That's our lives… except for those who have attractions. Those attractions change our lives forever. We grow to care, to love because of them. To us, they become the most important thing in the world, everything our lives circle around, the only reasons for us not to degrade into bloodthirsty animals. Even so, your attachment to Lily is phenomenal. You want to give her everything you have, but you can't because I robbed you of your master's soul. You don't want to eat a soul that hasn't had a revenge. However, no human is worth the trouble. Why not just give Ciel Phantomhive to me?"

"My young master is unlike any human you've ever seen." Sebastian jumped out of the water and held three knives to Claude's throat.

"As for the second revenge, I do intend for him to have his vengeance again. But I lack something critical, a target of that vengeance. What are your master's orders. You say they are to steal my young master and my fiancée and yet…"

"They are to make you suffer an agony worse than death." Claude confirmed. _Stealing Lily surely should do it._

"In that case" Sebastian said.

"A Ciel Phantomhive without his memories of revenge is meaningless… I must steal a perfected Ciel Phantomhive, one who has gained revenge. I must also steal Lily from you."

"Will your master do with just one of those things?"

"I can't say for sure."

"Would you care to make a deal, Claude?"

Both of them sat in a dilapidated old tower. _This should make Claude satisfied, and keep Lily safe. I will make sure he doesn't steal Ciel after the deal is done. _Sebastian thought as he looked at the white rose on his plate. They cut their wrists and let the blood drip on the roses.

"I shall make you two the targets of my young master's revenge…"

"And once Ciel Phantomhive gains his revenge, I will take him and leave Lily in peace. We place our seals…"

"On this pact" They threw each other their own roses, and let the blood drip onto them until they were black. Both their eyes stopped glowing red and reverted back to the way they were. They walked back to the house and pinned the roses to their jackets.

"One minute left" Alois said. Claude reappeared beside him. Sebastian appeared beside Ciel.

"Sebastian!" Lily hugged him. Then she saw Claude. He relayed to her all the information except for the part of the deal that included her. Their eyes glowed red as Lily's powers returned back to her.

"What's the meaning of this?" Ciel asked.

"I took care of it quickly, just as you ordered, my lord."

"Enough games!" Sebastian took out a bunch of papers and gave them to Ciel. He turned the page. "This is… have they been investigating me?" He wondered. "My father too! Which means… he really is the one."

_This won't end well…_ Lily thought as she watched Alois dance with Elizabeth. _This won't end well at all…_


	15. bloody battle ground

Chapter 14: bloody battle ground

"At noon, you have the Funtom company's regular meeting and then at two o' clock, your dance lesson with Miss Hyatt."

"I'd sooner have Lily teach me how to dance." Ciel said angrily. Sebastian smiled and continued.

"At six o' clock, Professor Macmillan will give you your political studies lesson."

"Right"

"Also, my lord, we received this" Sebastian gave him the letter. The wax seal was in the shape of a spider. He looked at it.

"'On behalf of the Earl Alois Trancy, I write to Lord Ciel Phantomhive this day to apologize for my master's discourtesy at the ball the other day and request your most honoured presence at the ball to be held here at the Trancy mansion tomorrow afternoon at 4'00."

"That's rather early for a ball, isn't it?" Lily appeared out of thin air in the doorway, holding up an identical letter. Ciel ripped the letter up into shreds.

"Alois Trancy…" Ciel's eyes were crazed with hate.

*Flashback*

They walked into the library of national records.

_Incidents in the English underworld which wrong the queen are judged in darkness by the Phantomhives… 'The queen's guard dogs'… and then erased in darkness by either the Trancys or the Blackwell Middlefords… 'The queen's spiders' and 'the queen's ravens'… _Sebastian thought.

_Seeking to monopolize her majesty's favour, Alois Trancy orchestrated the carriage accident that killed the Blackwell Middlefords, and then Alois spread the rumour that the queen's guard dog was possessed by a demon. _Ciel thought angrily as they journeyed to that small town.

_At that time, the previous head of the Phantomhives was investigating a series of live burnings, and the carriage accident which had killed one of his best friends… Edward Middleford. _

_Alois proclaimed that the crimes and the killings were the Phantomhive's doing, and decided to purge them…_

_In the name of exorcism._

_And then Alois and his butler destroyed all evidence._

_According to the records, the 'spider' either erased people's pasts or replaced them with false ones to cover up the crimes. _Sebastian finished.

The man cutting the wood looked up and his eyes widened in fear when he saw Sebastian and Ciel. Lily had stayed behind on that day.

"It's true, Lord Trancy ordered me to unscrew the carriage wheels and kill the Middleford family, burn down the Phantomhive house and sell off the surviving child." The man said, on his knees in front of Ciel. Ciel walked closer. "Please, please spare my life!" Ciel pointed the gun at his head.

"Atone for the crime of sullying my pride with your life." He pulled the trigger and blood spattered the walls.

*end of flashback*

_Alois Trancy… so you're the one I should kill. _Ciel thought.

"This time I'll make them dance to my tune… the danse macabre."

"The 'dance of death' my lord?" Sebastian asked as he set the teacup down on the table.

"They've spared us the trouble of inviting them here." Lily said.

"Let's go, Sebastian, Lily… it's time for our duel."

"Very good, my lord. In that case, allow me to alter the schedule slightly. We'll attend the noon meeting as planned. I'll have Miss Hyatt and Mr Macmillan rescheduled to tomorrow at earliest and today at four…"

"We'll have a death match with the house of Trancy." Lily finished. Sebastian's eyes were alive with malice.

"Ciel, Lily, you came!" Alois cried. All the servants were standing to meet them. Hannah looked down. Lily felt bad for Hannah, and felt as if she shouldn't be here. Hannah was almost in the same position as she was. She had no contract with Alois, but she felt obligated to serve him anyway. She had spoken to Hannah during the ball, and had found her to be a very nice person.

"Alois Trancy…"

"It was very good of you to come, my lord, my lady." Claude said, bowing formally. Lily wore her fighting outfit as she stepped out.

"Come right this way, I'm holding a very special ball for you tonight!" Alois said. They followed him into the garden to see what looked like a huge chess board.

"What is this?" Ciel asked.

"One of the duelling arenas of old."

"I say, Ciel… why don't we have our butlers dance in our places? Whoever can dance the longest wins. The loser will have to follow the victor's orders. What do you think?"

"It would seem they planned a death match as well." Sebastian said.

"I trust you have enough experience to win, darling?" Lily asked.

"Most definitely, yet I would feel better if you didn't help."

"Five on one isn't fair, especially when they are all demons." Lily said. "I can turn the tables easily."

"Hmm… that sounds just like our sort of ball" Ciel said. "Much better than dressing ourselves up in false costumes." The clock struck four times. Ciel ripped his eye patch off. "Lily, Sebastian, this is an order. Win, and bring Alois Trancy in front of me. I'll kill him with my own hands." Ciel said. Sebastian's and Lily's eyes glowed.

"Yes, my lord."

"Your orders, master?" Claude asked.

"Hmm… ah yes… Make Ciel Phantomhive and Lily Middleford mine… and give Sebastian Michaelis exquisite agony." Alois leaned up and whispered something into Claude's ear. What he suggested would bring Sebastian much pain. He would do just that.

"I'm sure you can do it. Can't you, Claude?"

"Yes, your highness."

The three servants brandished a sword, a medieval spear and a crossbow. Hannah had two long knives, and Claude had several fistfuls of throwing kitchen knives, as did Sebastian. Lily held her jackknife and wore a confident expression on her face.

"Now then…"

"F-f-fantastic!" Viscount Druitt exclaimed.

"Huh?" Everyone turned to look.

"This is the ancient duelling arena where legendary heroes crossed swords! And this is where the evening ball will be? I've never been so honoured as to receive an invitation!"

"Sir, may I ask what brings you here today?" Claude asked and Lily burst into laughter at how serious he sounded.

"But of course, I am ever so honoured to be invited to a costume ball… I am Aleister Chambers, the Viscount Druitt."

"I'm afraid the costume ball ended last week." Claude said. "Today's ball is a private one for the Earl Phantomhive and Lady Blackwell Middleford alone."

'Great Scott what a terrible mistake I have made!" He cried. "How could I have mixed up the dates? I'll just go home then…" Then he spotted Hannah.

"The visage as clean and pure as a lake's surface, with a steely gray knife in your hand, you could be one of Valhalla's Valkyries!" He said. Hannah and Lily exchanged dubious glances and smiled. "No, with the alluring, dusky elegance of your one eyed form concealed by bandages, I ought to rightfully call you a beautiful demoness…" The servants looked up. He looked at Lily. "Oh, my dear darling Lily! You seem twice as beautiful as before when we last met, with those eyes like hard emeralds and sweet alluring smile…"

"It's nice to see you too, Lord Druitt." She said.

"Your discernment is as impressive as one would expect." Sebastian said.

"Huh… a weapon?" He asked, looking at Hannah's knives and Lily's jackknife.

"A part of our entertainment." Claude said, smiling slightly.

"Oh, a ball filled with allure and danger!" He said, crossing over and taking Hannah's hand. He walked over and sat between Ciel and Alois on the middle sofa. "I, Druitt, serve the goddess of beauty, and therefore must watch this!" He said.

"Good grief." Lily said, and slid her jackknife into her pocket. When she pulled it out again, it had turned into the dark barbarian sword she had used many times before.

"Now let us begin..." Claude said. Lily pointed her sword straight at Claude.

"…The Danse Macabre" Sebastian and Lily said at the same time.

"Group attack, bloody washtub." Claude ordered. The three servants ran forwards. Sebastian spun around and broke all the weapons.

"Group attack; change from bloody washtub to cursed vanity mirror." He said.

"Where do you get all these names?" Lily asked as her sword met Claude's knives.

"You fight expertly, my lady" He said, not bothering to answer her question. They fought for a little bit. Sebastian speared the three servants with one blow.

"Good shot, Sebastian!" Lily said.

"Don't turn your back on who you're attacking." Claude said, grabbing her shoulders from behind.

"Are you sure you want to touch me?" Lily asked, and that part of her back heated up very quickly. Claude moved away. His gloves were singed but he was unharmed. Hannah threw both her knives at Sebastian. One ripped his jacket.

"Oh dear… I'll have to mend that up." Sebastian said.

"No need, you'll be full of holes soon." Hannah said, and made a shotgun from absolutely nowhere. She shot Sebastian several times, but he dodged all the bullets, sewing up the rip in his outfit while he was at it.

"Show off" Lily muttered, still fighting Claude. Both were holding back, more observing the other fight than fighting themselves. Hannah whipped out a machine gun and began firing.

"Great Scott!" Druitt yelled.

"I see… I certainly am in danger of being full of holes like this." Sebastian said as he ducked behind a chess piece. "I shall repay you for every last bullet." Sebastian drew out a whole handful of knives, at least forty or fifty, and shot them all at Hannah. She was nailed to the ground. He was about to fire more when Claude kicked a chess piece into Sebastian's way.

"That will do. It's teatime." Claude said. Lily put away her jackknife.

"In that case, might I make use of your kitchen as well?"

Lily helped Hannah up off of the ground, melting the knives without hurting Hannah.

"That was great fighting work." Lily said. "Shall we wait for lunch to be served?"

"Of course." They walked up to where everyone else is.

"What are you doing here, Hannah?" Alois asked. "Get back down there."

"Sorry, Lord Trancy, but I prefer having a butler or a maid with me at all times, and as Sebastian is cooking, I would like Hannah to stay with me. If that's a problem, of course." Lily said.

"Not at all" Alois said, but he did glare at Lily.


	16. sweet grass poison

Chapter 15: sweet grass poison

Claude mixed together the batter in the arena, Sebastian beside him. He looked up at Lily, now sitting with Ciel on one side, Hannah on the other, chatting with both.

_Souls of worth… luscious souls… if souls do vary in taste… a soul like Ciel Phantomhive's, obsessively pursued by a demon… and a beauty of a demon who is kind, powerful and perfect in every way like Lilyanne Middleford… to have both would be amazing. _A bunch of batter hit Claude in the face.

"Oh, do excuse me. The way you looked at my fiancée concerned me. The way you seem to be assessing her…" Claude picked up a piece of batter and whipped it at Sebastian. They exchanged blows.

"Hey, look Hannah; they're having a food fight. Now that's something I've never seen Sebastian do before." Lily said.

"I won't allow you to lay a finger on her, deal or no deal, or give her any lip."

"Hmph…" Claude set his plate down. They looked at the sculptures that had taken place behind both of them.

"What a pointless display." Ciel said.

"Today's tea features puits d'amour, crème pâtissière and raspberry jam in a pastry made of pie dough accompanying Marriage Frères Eros tea." Claude said as he set the dish in front of Alois.

"Foret noir, layers of chocolate sponge cake and cherry compote dressed with white cream. It accompanies a super fine Keemun tea I had sent to us from the Qing Empire's Anhui province."

"Okay…" Ciel took a bite.

"It's delicious as always." Lily said happily. Viscount Druitt had given an entire speech about the cakes and had ran to the bathroom.

"What's wrong with that man?" Ciel wondered. Lily laughed.

At six, they resumed. The sun was already beginning to set. Lily had gone to talk with Hannah, and Ciel had left with Alois. They sat on tables in the garden.

"Hannah, can you tell me what's going on?" Lily asked her. "What the hell was that sword Claude pulled out of you?"

"That was one of the very few demon swords. I possess ten of them. If one gets fatally cut with the sword of demons, they can never heal." Hannah said. Lily felt the cut to Sebastian's face, to his arm and leg, but it didn't seem to be too scary for her to run over and cut Claude's head off.

"What does your master want from me?" Lily wondered.

"It's not about you, my lady. It's about Sebastian. Claude has held a grudge against Sebastian for a very long time."

"What happened?"

"Claude once had an attraction, too. Her name was Emily. I had never seen Emily before in my life. I had only seen pictures. She was very pretty. Claude had signed a contract with her as far as I know. Before it was supposed to end, Claude wanted to make her a demon as well. Sebastian killed her."

"What?"

"I'm sure it was by accident, but Claude refuses to believe so. On that day, he suffered agony worse than death when he saw her dead body, when he felt her pain. He was left with nothing, and that's why he wants Sebastian to feel the same pain. Now that you are a demon, he cannot kill you, because you will simply come back to life in a decade or so. He wants to steal you and Ciel to make sure that Sebastian feels the pain he went through.

"I feel much attached to you, Lily. To me you are like my sister. I'm sorry you have to go through this, but there's no way out of it." She said, reading Lily's face. "I cannot tell Claude anything, nor can I stop him. Orders are orders, and he has manipulated my master into giving him those orders."

Lily nodded and stiffened. The mark glowed. Over in the arena, the fighting had stopped.

"Hannah… I have to get going." She said. She ran after Claude and Sebastian into the house. Ciel had stuck a sword straight through Alois. His own hand was bleeding.

"Gah… it hurts! It hurts so much! Help me, Claude!"

"Yes, your highness" He walked up, and Sebastian followed.

"Stay back! Stay back until I've killed him!" Ciel yelled.

"Very good." Sebastian fell back. Lily looked at him. He motioned for her to stand on Claude's opposite side.

"Die, Alois Trancy!" Ciel said.

"No! I don't want to die! It hurts… spare me, Ciel!" Alois cried.

"You're a disgrace, Alois. Begging, after you killed my parents?"

"You don't understand anything… you're just being tricked by a demon…"

"Demon?"

"My parents were killed too, you know… my dear family was burned to death along with the whole village… someone stole what was dear to me! You and I are the same!" He begged. "I won't pester you anymore… just please, please spare me!"

"Atone for the crime of sullying my pride with your life." He said as he raised the sword.

"Help me, Claude!" In a flash, Claude had grabbed Ciel's sword.

"Let me go, you bastard!" Ciel tried to wrestle the sword out of Claude's grip to no avail. He slapped Claude across the face with his bloody hand.

"Young master!" Lily ran across the room and grabbed Ciel. As she did so, she got cut with the sword, staining Claude's hand with her blood. She threw him on the floor, ignoring her own pain, and the small red stain that was spreading across her side. Claude tasted Ciel's blood. His eyes glowed red as the taste registered and his eyes widened. It was even more delicious than he had ever thought!

"If you'll excuse us, I think our time has come to leave."

"Qu-quite… we'll save the rest of our ball for another time." Claude said.

"Let's be on our way, young master. First you run away, then you get yourself hurt… I'm at my wit's end with you. Do you really hate dancing that much?" He asked.

"Let me go, Sebastian!" He said, slapping him several times, but it wasn't a painful slap.

"Honestly, I don't know how you still have the energy to act up after losing all that blood." He said.

"Are you all right, Lily?" He asked. Lily nodded, wiping away the streak of blood that had trickled out of her mouth.

"It's just a little cut." She said.

Claude watched them leave. His hand was still covered with Lily's blood. He tasted it as well. It was nice, deliciously sweet. The taste of a demon's blood would say how powerful the demon was, and also what their personality was like. It made him want her even more. Tonight, however, he would have her, along with Ciel Phantomhive. He felt bad that he had cut her. Now, he had to wait until the serum would work. Essence of sweet grass and new moon leaves could knock out any demon for a bit of time.

"What are you looking at, Claude?" Alois asked, trying to pull himself up into a sitting position. "Can't you see I've been stabbed? Help me, quickly!" Hmm… perhaps there was a way to trap two birds with one stone. He finally looked at Alois. Blood dripped from his mouth.

"You look like you're staring at maggots swarming over a pile of… shit…" He fell.

The moon shone high over the trees. Lily walked into the forest. She sat on a fallen log and looked up at the sky. A spider came crawling across her path. She kicked it away. The sky was almost clear. She put her face in her hand and then looked at it in shock. She was crying bloody tears. That wasn't normal. Her only thoughts were of Sebastian as her eyes closed.

Pretty soon, Sebastian came looking for her. He wandered into the forest and saw Lily sitting on a log, her face in her hand.

"What are you doing out here, Lily? You should be sleeping after your injuries… Lily?" He approached her. Lily wouldn't ignore him like that. He lifted her head up and she slumped in his arms, eyes closed, bloody tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. "Lily? Lily!" He shook her slightly, but there was no response. He took some of the blood off her face and sniffed it. Sweet grass. That explained everything. That bastard had poisoned her. He picked her up and easily carried her back into the mansion. Thankfully, the effects of sweet grass weren't long lasting for demons. She would wake up in a few hours. He put her onto her bed, not noticing the spider on the windowsill.


	17. pain

Chapter 16: pain

Lily opened her eyes. It was dark, the only light in the room given off by one single rung of candles. She got up carefully and went into the drawer for her other clothes. They weren't there. She realized this wasn't her bedroom. The color scheme in this room was midnight blue and gold, while her room had been light blue and white. This room had no windows. Her room had a spacious window with a white windowsill for reading. She looked down at her hand.

She was no longer wearing her engagement ring. She sprinted to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. She felt the smooth surface. It was metal, not wood. She clicked her fingers several times. The door would catch on fire, but it wouldn't burn away. She pounded on the door.

"Let me out! Let me out of here or else I swear I'll burn this place down along with everyone inside!" She screamed. "Let me out! Let me out!" She fell on her knees, tears running down her face.

"Sebastian…"

*Morning*

"Recently there's been a spate of eye gouging crimes in the London area. Her Majesty wants us to go look for the criminal." Sebastian said as Ciel read the letter.

"Hmm… go wake Lily up. I want her to come with us."

"As you wish, my lord." Sebastian hurriedly walked up the stairs and tapped on the door. "Lily, it's time to wake up. Lily?" He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He kicked the door down.

The window was wide open, all Lily's papers scattered everywhere, the room a complete mess. He ran inside and looked around. There was no trace of her anywhere. A glint of something metallic caught his eye. The engagement ring he had given Lily sat on the windowsill, broken in half. It was sitting in a tiny pool of blood.

Sebastian's shadow began giving off poisonous green waves and growing distortedly. His eyes gleamed with anger. When he found her, if there was one single scratch that Claude had given her, he would make sure to nail Claude to a wall. He had broken the deal. He had gone after Lily. For that, he would pay dearly.

When Sebastian walked downstairs, Ciel was already waiting.

"Well, isn't she coming?"

"I'm afraid not, young master."

"Why?"

"Lily has gone missing. I'm under the impression that someone has kidnapped her. I'm also under the impression that they are keeping her somewhere in London."

"Then let's go! We need to solve the eye gouging case anyway. We can look for Lily then."

Moments later, they were in the carriage.

"Tell me more about the victims, Sebastian."

"The victims weren't all the same class, but they were all young boys."

"Hmm… a perverse business…" Ciel looked out the window.

"What's wrong, young master?"

"Nothing."

They walked into the first witness's house. The young boy had blond hair and his eyes were covered by bloody bandages.

"I dunno! He just up' an' stuck his fingers into my eyes and everythin' went red! Now I can't see nothin', nothin'…"

"What was the criminal like?" Ciel asked.

"He was a kid, about the same age as me but he looked plenty rich."

"A kid?"

"That bloody bastard…" The kid began sobbing. Ciel and Sebastian walked out of the house.

"Sebastian…"

"Yes"

Claude sat in the garden, knitting carefully.

_A demon has devoted time and effort to building up that soul stitch by stitch. If I'm to steal it, it's only proper that I do so respectfully, stitch by stitch. It's the same with taking a demon like Lily. I wonder if she has woken up yet… though the door is fireproof, I do hope she doesn't burn the place down._

Ciel looked at the map he was holding, sitting on top of a crate in the streets.

"We've obtained several witness reports now. Would it be best to go searching for Lily?"

"I don't know. Somehow this gives me the feeling that everything is tied together somehow… the eye gouging and Lily's kidnapping."

"They all point to a boy dressed like a noble."

"He mocks me" Ciel said, smiling.

"My lord?"

"Look… I'll draw a line between the Phantomhive and the Trancy estates. Now if I connect the scenes of the crimes… a spider web. He's behind this."

"It may be that his butler is acting alone, young master."

"So he survived? He's persistent, I'll give him that."

"Young master…"

"I see… so he's survived… A butler answers his master's questions reliably and truthfully, am I right?"

"Quite right"

"You aren't hiding anything about Alois from me, are you?"

"No, nothing about Alois."

"Then-" A crate exploded right beside Ciel. Sebastian grabbed him and they ran onto the roof.

"The spider butler?" Ciel wondered.

"No… this is…" He jumped down and put Ciel into a tea crate. "Stay here, young master."

"It smells…"

"Please bear with it for a little while. You mustn't take one step out of this box, do you understand?" He said as he closed the lid. He ran as fast as he could.

_Ah, yes… first they lure us out with Queen's orders and Lily's kidnap… and then for their next chess move, they use the ones sure to act whenever there's a soul problem… Grim reapers._ Sebastian landed on the roof and dodged as a guy came running at him with a lawnmower. He threw three knives into the lawnmower and with a clink, it stopped.

"Oh, come on, give me a break. It's totally busted." He said.

"I don't believe we've met."

"Yeah, hi. The next diehard grim reaper is Ronald Knox!" He paused. "Yeah, that's so wrong… Senior Sutcliff said I needed a catchphrase, so I had a girl from the General affairs think one up."

"Please don't worry about it. Today that catch phrase will end along with you. I assume your bureau is acting because of strange soul movements? Perhaps the soul of a deceased called Alois Trancy has proven unrecoverable, for instance?"

"Indeed!" Sebastian dodged William's death scythe. "I might have known you'd be involved, Sebastian Michaelis. Thanks to Grell Sutcliff, I have to work overtime again"

Ronald revved up his lawnmower as Sebastian and William fought.

"All right, let's get this over with! You can bet I'm not working overtime!" He brought the lawnmower down.

"Tch… even I'm at a disadvantage against two reapers." _I could really use Lily's firepower right now. _

"Ronald Knox, do you intend to fell me with your death scythe as well?" William asked.

"Oh, did I cross the line? Sorry, I'm at that mischievous age…"

"A grim reaper must judge situations swiftly and accurately. Are those spectacles just for show?" He asked. Sebastian seized the moment and threw a knife at William, knocking his glasses off his face.

Sebastian ran to the house at the exact center of the spider web Ciel had drawn, and was met by Hannah with a machine gun.

"I apologize for not sending someone to fetch you, Sebastian."

"No need. Your invitation was easy enough to understand. This is the exact center of the web you laid with these attacks."

Hannah kept firing. Suddenly, she was out of bullets. Sebastian punched her in the gut and she fell.

"The sheath that holds a demon's sword… why would someone so powerful be obeying Claude?"

"Claude…" Sebastian lifted her up into the air.

"We have an attraction together. Even if she is taken from me, she is still mine and I can find her! You have no way of breaking an attraction. As for my young master, we have a contract. If he is taken from me, he is still my young master and none of you can ever so much as taste his soul."

"Navy… Midnight blue… light blue… three very similar memories…" She choked out. "True, we cannot break an attraction… but sweet grass weakens it, and three days will break your bond completely. Notice… how you can't get in contact with her. As for him… it's true that none of us can so much as taste him… not while he's still entirely your young master."

Sebastian's eyes widened. He dropped Hannah and began to run. He ran into the place. He could hear Ciel screaming. He rammed open the door.

"Young master!" Ciel was lying face down on the floor. Sebastian got down on his knees.

"Don't touch me!" Ciel screamed. "So you were the one who killed my parents… Sebastian Michaelis?" Sebastian's eyes widened in shock. He stood up and turned around to face Claude.

"I didn't predict you mixing their memories." he said. "A ploy that would cloud the soul's taste never occurred to me. He's soaked through… did you dip him in medicine to confuse him?"

"Should I answer that, Master?" Claude asked, moving to Ciel.

"No need…" Sebastian was beginning to put things together.

"Where's Lily?" He demanded. "What have you done to her? I swear, if she's hurt…"

"She isn't hurt. Why don't you tell him, Lily?" Claude asked. He reached into the shadows and pulled Lily into the light. She seemed even more fragile, and almost human. Her hair was dyed a blue black color, like Ciel's hair. Her eyes widened when she saw Sebastian. She took a few steps forward, her hand outstretched. Claude caught her hand and pulled her into his arms.

"Do you remember our deal, Lily? Do you remember what happens to the young master if you don't do exactly what I say?" Claude asked. Lily looked away. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to burn him up on the spot. But she was powerless right now. This was for Ciel and Sebastian's safety.

"She looks very much hurt to me." Sebastian said, his eyes narrowing. "I'll ask you once again, what have you done to her?"

"I didn't do anything." Claude said, moving her as he stood beside Ciel. He whispered something into Ciel's ear.

"I know." Ciel said. He shook the hair out of his eyes. He pointed at Sebastian. "This is an order. Get out of our sight! Don't you dare ever look at my sister like that!"

_Sister?_ Lily wondered. _It's true that Ciel and I are extended family… how did Claude manage to warp his memories enough to think I'm his sister? We don't look anything alike! _

Claude bent down and kissed Lily, adding vinegar to Sebastian's wounds. Pain shot through Lily like she'd just been stabbed. Claude smiled as Sebastian took a few steps back. He bowed to Ciel and walked away. He heard the loud thwack as she slapped Claude. The idea that Claude had kissed her was enough to make him turn into his demon form, burst back in there and kill him, not caring about Ciel's order. However, he forced himself to behave normally.

"I took a shamefully long time to prepare dinner…" He said. "And now look what's happened." His entire form glowed black, poisonous green mist swirling around him. "Delaying dinner is absolutely not allowed. However first, as butler to the Phantomhives, I must clear away the spider webs. That's plain." His eyes glowed.


	18. hannah's idea

Chapter 17: Hannah's idea

_You have to act along with us. You have to pretend you are Ciel's sister for the time being until he fully becomes Alois Trancy. If you fail to do so, you will never walk free, neither will Ciel, neither will Sebastian. _

Lily sat in her room at the Trancy manor. Thompson, the older of the three demon servants brought in food. Claude walked in, noticing all of the uneaten soul meals piled up in the corner.

"Why won't you eat?"

"I'm not hungry" Lily said. The room was entirely pitch black, the curtains drawn. Her hair was back to red-brown again. The sink in her room was covered in the black dye that she had washed out the night before. Claude drew open the windows.

"It's not good for a demon of light, of fire, to stay in complete darkness."

"Since when do you care about my health?" She asked.

"Since the day we met" Claude said simply. _Give me a break, you goddamn liar… _Lily thought. He walked beside her and brushed her bangs to the side. "My precious flower is wilting. What happened to it? You know, you are allowed to walk out of this manor. You just can't walk out of the grounds." He asked. She looked away, refusing to respond. Claude stood up.

"I must go wake the young master." Claude said, and left. Lily brushed her hair, combing out the remaining sticky black streaks. The pain of being separated from Sebastian was quite something. She changed from her purple dress to a pretty blue dress. Sebastian had always said blue looked nice on her. Several crashes made her look up. It sounded as if trees were being felled. She ran to the window. She looked outside to see Sebastian facing Claude. After exchanging a few words, Sebastian seemed to lift up a statue and throw it at someone. He saw her looking and smiled. She waved sadly from her window.

*later*

There was a knock on the door. Claude opened it and walked out.

"This is a surprise. Just when I thought you were spying on us, you waltz right in through the front door." He said. Sebastian jumped down from the upraised section of the wall.

"The young master ordered me out of his and Lily's sight, however Lily didn't give me that order, so I can still see her. As well, it's no crime if it's just you who sees me." He took the black rose from his jacket. "I came here to return this to you." He threw the rose at him and punched Claude as hard as he could. Claude went flying. Lily was watching out the window.

_Great job, darling. Whack that jerk as hard as you can!_

_Lily! _Sebastian breathed out a sigh of relief. _I thought I'd lost you._

_Of course not. There's nothing in the world that could break our attraction. I just thought I'd let you know that Alois is fully in control of Ciel's body now. I don't need to keep up my side of that stupid blackmail. _

_I'll help you escape tonight. Just hold on for a bit longer._

_Okay, will do._

"This is a surprise" Claude said, picking himself up off the ground. "A demon terminating a contract?"

"You broke it first. We swore to defer our battle over the young master's soul until it attained its ultimate state after he completed his revenge. Our agreement was to use each other until then, and that you'd stay away from Lily until then. You kidnapped her and broke our contract."

"These spider mites discolour the leaves. I regret to say my rose was infected."

"Now both roses are dead." Sebastian said.

"The contract is terminated. I aim to devour Ciel Phantomhive's soul. But I don't do it merely to sample the "ultimate flavour" you speak of!"

"Yes, there's more to it than that. Demons have eternal life. We grow weary of living so long… until we find our attractions. You seek to devour the young master's soul, and you also seek revenge for the murder of your Emily. Am I right?"

"That's exactly right."

"To think that this has led to fight between demon and demon…" They began to fight. Ciel's voice pierced through the air.

"Sebastian! Sebastian!"

"You're being summoned. Which means he's noticed you! Disobedient little Sebastian Michaelis, you are no longer a butler!" Claude said. Sebastian's eyes tightened as he hid behind the statue.

"Sebastian, help me! If you don't, I'll climb all the way up! I'll climb and climb!" Ciel laughed.

"It seems I haven't disobeyed orders." Sebastian said, walking up beside Claude. "That is not my young master."

"You're right. That is my master, Alois Trancy." Hannah said. There was a crash of breaking glass, and Lily jumped out of her room. She floated down to the ground and ran to stand beside Sebastian.

"What can I do to convince you to return my young master, as himself?" He asked Hannah.

"If you kill me, the young master…"

"Will fall!" Alois cried from the top of the building.

"Ciel Phantomhive's body now belongs to my master. His soul, taken into Ciel Phantomhive, was quietly, quietly waiting for its time to awaken. And then he took advantage of a weakness in Ciel's heart, to steal his body using his own eye.

"Our hands are tied as long as the young master's body is his hostage."

"Your hands may be tied, but your hearts aren't, are they?" She asked, and grabbed Lily.

"Hey!" Lily tried to burn Hannah, but as she was weakened from her day in the Trancy manor, she wasn't fast enough. Hannah injected some fast acting sweet grass venom and she fell unconscious, the flames in her hands extinguishing.

"Lily! Why you…" Sebastian started towards Hannah.

"I'm sending you both on a journey." Hannah said.

"A journey?"

"To retrieve Ciel Phantomhive and Lily Middleford, you'll journey through the labyrinth of Alois Trancy's heart; firmly etching the proof that he lived." She jumped into the air and moved Lily to the top of the tower.

"Collect the stamps hidden in the garden? What a ridiculous idea." Claude said. Sebastian was willing to do anything to get Lily back, and he didn't complain.

They both ran into the maze at the same time.


	19. demon battle

Chapter 18: demon battle

Sebastian and Claude scaled to the top of the tower and burst open the door. They took a step back. Hannah was on her knees in front of Ciel.

"Claude" Ciel spoke in Alois' voice. "You snared my heart in a spider web… my eternal highness… all I wanted was your love." He fell as Hannah's symbol traced itself onto his eye.

"It's done. I've signed a contract with Jim Macken, and Ciel Phantomhive's soul along with it. Come with me."

They set out onto an island, both Lily and Ciel now unconscious.

"This island of death, a sanctuary for demons… It seems that your rage has caused you to do quite a number on it, Sebastian Michaelis." Claude said.

"Hannah… you brought us here. Does this mean…"

"What you two will carry out is a formal duel between demons. He who wins will get both Lily and Ciel." Hannah said, setting Lily and Ciel down on the bench and playing with Ciel's hair. They walked into a small cave, where Sebastian pulled out the sword of demons from Hannah's body.

"There is no attack that can fatally wound a demon." Hannah said, taking the sword from Sebastian. "However, a wound that is caused by a demon sword will never heal. And…" She threw the sword into the ceiling. "A soul pierced by a demon's sword will come to a complete end. Come now…" Hannah stood in the middle of Sebastian and Claude.

"Using a single sword…"

"A fight over two souls…"

_Sebastian… make sure you win. I give you my powers for now. Make good use of them. _Lily's voice sounded in Sebastian's head, and his eyes glowed red as his power increased. She was still out cold, but that didn't mean she couldn't communicate with him. Hannah raised her hand and both of them jumped for the sword stuck in the ceiling. Claude used his spider threads to grab it. He stabbed at Sebastian, but Sebastian dodged every last lunge. He kicked the sword out of Claude's hands.

"A small space like this hinders my ability to move around." He called on Lily's powers and sank the sword into the ground all the way to the hilt. Flames expanded around it and the entire island began to shake and crumble. "So I will tear apart… this island of death!"

"What?"

Lily woke up, her eyes flashing. She and Hannah jumped up to the surface, Hannah carrying Ciel. Claude and Sebastian jumped to the top and Claude kicked the sword away from Sebastian. It fell down into a crevice. Those two followed it.

"That sword…"

"That soul…"

"Is mine!" They yelled.

"It's starting to rain…" Hannah remarked. Lily sat beside Hannah. "You aren't trying to kill me?"

"No. All you want is to make Alois happy. I understand that. I'm a little mad that you put my Sebastian in danger, but I have complete faith that he will win." Lily said.

"Claude…" Hannah said. Lily's head snapped up.

"Claude… you love him, don't you, Hannah?" Lily said. "That's why you follow his orders like anyone." Hannah nodded. Lily heard the sickening crunch from far away, and felt her powers return. Sebastian had won. Hannah felt it too, and a tear slid down her cheek. Lily put her hand on Hannah's shoulder. "It's going to be over soon." She said.

Sebastian jumped out of the crevice, and Lily ran into his arms. He smiled. They walked up together to Hannah, who was standing on the edge of the cliff, holding Ciel.

"Our happiness has come…" Hannah said.

"Hannah…" Lily said.

"The contract between my master and I is now fulfilled. All you have to do now is kill me. Your young master will get his body back. However… Even if he gets his body back, Ciel Phantomhive will be as good as a dead person to you. Our happiness now comes to a conclusion, because Ciel Phantomhive…" She fell from the rock. "Is now a demon" She mouthed.

Sebastian and Lily stared at each other in shock, and then down at Hannah. Lily nodded, and Sebastian dove after Ciel.

*the next day*

The sun shone brightly.

"Good morning, young master." Sebastian said.

"It's time to wake up." Lily said as Sebastian opened the curtains. Ciel got up and stretched, and Lily gave him his eye patch.

"You look different… Lily… what did they do to you?" Ciel said. This was the first time he had seen Lily since he had become one with Alois.

"They poisoned me, but I'm fine now." Lily said as she tied his eye patch. Sebastian carefully did up the bow around Ciel's neck. Ciel's eyes glowed red.

"Are you sure you don't want to do that up tighter?"

"No. Today's tea is new moon drop." He said, giving Ciel the cup.

"What's my schedule like for today?"

"Completely open." Sebastian said.

"Huh…"

"Actually, young master, I have something in store for you!" Lily said happily.

"What is it?"

"Well, since you're a demon now, we need to teach you how to be a demon. You need to learn how to control your new power and learn everything there is."

"Like you're a good example for that" Ciel said.

"Either way, you need to form a contract with someone. Sebastian and I will join you in a three way contract. Once you take that soul, we'll go back to the demon world and break your contract. I'm afraid Sebastian cannot serve you for eternity."

"Why not"

"Because of our attraction. Sometimes, an attraction is more important than a contract. This is one of these cases. Within a year that someone becomes a demon, they have to go to the demon world and register themselves in as demons. This gives us four months to complete a contract with someone." Lily said.

"Sounds okay… I guess I'll try it." A knock on the door made all three of them look up.

"Young master" Maylene said. "Lady Elizabeth is here…" She said with a worried look on her face.

"All right." Ciel walked down the stairs. Sebastian and Lily stayed behind. He tapped her shoulder as she went to leave. She turned around to see a faint smile on Sebastian's face. He gave her a box.

"I do believe this was broken." He said. In her box was her engagement ring, perfectly restored. She slid it back on her finger and smiled.

"Thank you" She said happily.

They walked to deliver presents for everyone. Because once they would leave, they were never coming back. They went to Lau's place first.

"Oh, hey butler, it's been a while" Lau said.

"Hello. I'm glad to see you in good health."

"Yeah, all thanks to you two letting me get away. Well, I went along with your transparent acting in return, so we're even?"

"Yes, we appreciate it." Sebastian said.

"Here is a token of our gratitude." Lily said as she gave the package to Lau.

"My young master will be away from London for a while. So he sent us here to say goodbye."

"I see… I'll miss him."

"And here's his message for you" Lily said. "' I thought about killing you, but it was too much of a bother. Live as you please… however make sure to keep out of my sights.'"

"Oh, so his memory came back, eh? So he's leaving London… where's he going… huh?" They were gone.

They gave a package to Soma and Agni, Soma hugged Lily and started crying again. They left a package in one of the undertaker's coffins, and set out a table made for three for Grell. They walked back to the manor, hand in hand.

"What took you so long, Sebastian?" Ciel asked.

"You always blame me..." Lily laughed. "I apologize, master. We can leave now."

"Young master… my lady… are you really leaving?" Finni asked, tears in his eyes.

"Do what you want with this mansion." Ciel said as Sebastian helped them both into the carriage. "You can use it, or you can even burn it."

"We… we can't do that?"

"Yeah, it's filled with all the memories of you!"

"Memories don't mean anything. I proved that, didn't I?"

"That's not true, young master!" Maylene cried. Pretty soon they were off, riding along in the sunset.

"Well… we can go wherever we want now." Lily said. "I hear there might be someone trying to summon a demon near the outskirts of London. Shall we go there?"

"Why not?" Ciel asked. Lily repeated this to Sebastian, and he snapped the reins the other way.

"Let's get going!" Lily said happily. "I can't wait to become a maid."

"You're so weird" Ciel said.

"Shut up!"

**Here is the end of another cruel beauty sequel! However, there's more, so please look forwards to season three! I will start that… tomorrow, so please look for Cruel Beauty 3 and let the adventure continue!**

**The end of part 2 (to be continued)**


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